Krait Book 03 The Endless Riddle
by slytherinsal
Summary: No3 in the continuing AU adventures of Krait and friends; this one involves a lot of tracking down of Horcruces; Dumbledore knows about hubris; and Horace Slughorn knows about candied pineapple. This one contains quite a showdown...
1. Chapter 1

_**Number three; this book has a war in it so there is violence as we have a decisive battle….not too gorily expressed. If you missed Slytherin's Heiress and Surfeit of Malfoys you might find some developments difficult to follow; recommend checking the previous two.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own none of JKR's characters and I am merely borrowing them.**_

**Chapter 1 An Unwelcome Mission for Draco**

Lucius had been working hard to make up for the time he had been under Voldemort's control; he had relied on the knowledge muggle Prime Ministers had of the wizarding world to contact a former Prime Minister and found himself on rather good terms with her. David had suggested borrowing the SAS – or The Regiment as he referred to it – and Lucius had explained everything to his contact and asked if it might be possible to pull in some favours as he did not repose much faith in her successor, who bore too much in common with the previous rather inefficient wizarding Prime Minister, Cornelius Fudge. She had been very happy to help in any way she could to deal with the menace; she had been in power as Prime Minister for the first Wizarding War, and had heard about more than the wizarding ministry of the time had any idea about. Lucius granted her respect for both finding out, and in not turning a hair, though she was most displeased that the intelligence she had been given at Halloween 1981 had been erroneous. He left her with the promise only to ask her to call in favours if it was absolutely necessary.

He hoped it would not be.

**-/-**

Lucius had Severus and Krait staying with him; and if it were partly to give Severus a chance to legilimens his long time colleague such things were kept discretely unspoken. Lucius had found his feelings for the muggle Charlotte gave him a more open mind; and Krait had but little educating to do, for Charlotte had been ready to defend her end as a muggle, rather than giving way to all of Lucius' views; and he respected her the more for it.

The visit the Malfoy family received from the Dark Lord was nervous; Lucius certainly had a guilty conscience, though Narcissa had not, by mutual consent, been yet told of her son's and husband's defection. Voldemort wanted Draco present too.

Voldemort nodded coldly to Lucius.

"Since the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries I find myself short of several Death Eaters" he said in his high, cold voice. "Though my daughter acted as she saw for the best, I think it would be as well if she had backup at Hogwarts; I have decided to make Draco a full member of the Death Eaters now – and charge him with a particular task."

"I'm sure he will be honoured, Master" said Lucius.

"Dark mark and all?" Krait asked.

"Of course" said her father. "Any reason why not?"

Krait forced a natural sounding chuckle.

"That'll cramp his style" she said. "Draco, you'll have to find some excuse not to let them get suspicious….."

Draco knew his cousin well enough by now not to ask stupid questions over whatever kind of bluff she was trying to pull. He grinned sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" It was Voldemort who asked sharply.

"Well….he's shafting at least half a dozen girls and it's rumoured, Professor Vector too…."

Voldemort frowned irritably.

"Surely no silly girl is going to notice anything during teenage fumblings in the dark?"

Krait laughed again.

"In the dark? YOU didn't catch him in the prefects' bathroom with two of them, AND being watched by Moaning Myrtle into the bargain….that girl always ogles the prettiest boys, and she's such a blabbermouth, told everyone when Potter grew pubes….I must say, Parkinson must have a good pair of lungs" she lied smoothly and parenthetically. "Stays under water so long…."

"Yeah, it is rather embarrassing having a girl pop up unexpectedly" said Draco. "Even a dead one…and it's worse if I'm with someone." He backed up Krait's big lie.

Voldemort frowned again.

"This Myrtle might then see the Dark Mark and blab to Potter" he said. "Even if you hid it from your other inamorata….it might then be wisest to delay your full initiation until you leave school. You will have to rely on getting a summons from me through Severus….and you can still carry out the particular task I want you to."

"I am honoured to serve you, Master" said Draco.

"Naturally" said Voldemort. "What I want you to do may test your resourcefulness…I want you to kill Dumbledore, he is becoming a nuisance."

"My Lord….I will do my best….I appreciate your trust in me!" said Draco fawningly.

"My Lord…." Narcissa was white "He's only sixteen….Dumbledore is a powerful wizard…"

"You question me, Narcissa?" Voldemort's voice was almost purring and dripped with menace.

Narcissa blenched.

"N-no, master….I question my son's abilities."

"He will find a way….he needs to find a way" said Voldemort. "Lucius was in charge of getting me the prophecy….he failed. I hope his son is made of sterner stuff…or I will begin to wonder if the Malfoy family has ceased to be useful…."

Draco paled; the threat was implicit.

"I will find a way" he said. "Dad was outwitted by Dumbledore but I see him daily….and I can make use of the fact that he will not be anticipating any attack from within, even though the new Prime Minister has increased security at Hogwarts. In fact that will act in my favour because nobody will be expecting any attack to get through."

"Spoken like Lucius in his young, enthusiastic days" said Voldemort, glancing at Lucius.

"I am not unenthusiastic, my lord" said Lucius "I've just learned more caution….we had a setback, but not all of us were captured, and we live to fight another day…."

"You were hauled out of danger by my daughter" said Voldemort coldly. "And only because she did not want the embarrassment and suspicion of being the niece of a known Death Eater…you excuse yourself very readily, Lucius." He raised his wand. "Crucio!"

Lucius fell to the ground writhing in agony as Voldemort held the spell on him; and Krait absently placed an Imperius curse on Charlotte, watching from the adjoining room, to stop her running out to her lover.

"I apologise, my lord" Lucius gasped.

"You will know not to fail me again….but I place my trust in your son for this. Farewell!" Voldemort apparated away and Krait released Charlotte. She ran out.

"What did that filthy creature DO Lucius?" she asked.

"He is the Master! Do not so call him…." Narcissa started. Charlotte rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"You let him do that to your husband and let him give Draco an order that, if I understand right, is tantamount to a death sentence? You say you love Draco, but you don't fight for him!"

Narcissa actually wrung her hands.

"Severus….You'll help Draco won't you? Please….I beg you…."

"I will assuredly help Draco to do whatever he has to do" said Severus, dropping an arm around the boy's shoulder.

"I also" said Krait. Narcissa turned to look at her, venomously.

"Why didn't he get you to do it? Miss Blue-eyed Daughter?" she hissed.

"Because he's pissed with Lucius for not second-guessing Dumbledore" said Krait calmly. "He wants you both to squirm for Draco's safety because you've never been as proactive a supporter as your sister and Lucius got conned….he's like that at times. Hadn't you noticed in all the years you've been a Death Eater?"

Narcissa glared at her.

"You get away with so much!"

"And my fall would be further and harder if I failed him….as you well know. He was harder on Bellatrix questioning his judgement than he would have been on any other…"

"And her condition is your fault too!"

Krait shrugged.

"She's still alive….she's rather a cute little girl, actually, once you break her of being spoiled as hell….you may have lost a sister but you could look on it as having gained a daughter….and she's not bullying you. How would she take you begging Severus to help?"

Narcissa scowled.

"That's none of your business!"

"It became my business when you started blaming me for your fear for Draco….and I will always be there for Draco, he's the brother I never had….I love him too, you know!" Krait scowled back.

"There is no need to be overwrought, Narcissa" said Severus. "Draco is well protected…trust us. You have asked for help; Draco will have all the help he needs. Do not be worried."

Narcissa's face worked and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I – I'm just so afraid for him!" she admitted. "Draco, I suppose you'll despise me…."

Draco put his arms around his mother.

"Y'think I'm not a little scared myself?" he said. "I'm in deep….it's scary. That's what friends are for, to help each other out….Severus and Krait are with me, I'll be fine."

"You're so brave, son…." Narcissa hugged him.

Draco exchanged a worried look with his bloodkin; Severus pulled a face and Krait shrugged.

Either they would have to find Voldemort's secrets before he got too impatient or they would have to fake the killing of Dumbledore.

Krait felt confident they could certainly do the latter; it would be well to start planning for that contingency as soon as possible.

Severus stiffened suddenly.

"Back to Hogwarts" he said harshly. "I – I have a feeling Albus is in trouble…."

"Dumbledore? That's bad, he's as hard as sin" said Krait. "Lucius, reassure Narcissa…." It was an implicit suggestion to gloss over Severus' concern for the headmaster; and Lucius nodded comprehending.

-/-

The three bloodkin took the gate of the 'loo network' directly back to Hogwarts and Severus led them at a rapid stride to the Headmaster's office, snapping "acid drops" to the Gargoyles that guarded it by way of a password.

Dumbledore was half swooning when they got to his office, almost grey of face and his wand hand was blackened and shrivelled. A ring was on it, heavily wrought with a cracked black stone.

"Severus…" Dumbledore's voice was weak. "It was cursed….."

"Ah" Severus raised his wand, and chanted, singing softly to himself. He lapsed into Parseltongue and the burning that was creeping slowly, inexorably up Dumbledore's arm ceased abruptly.

Draco and Krait had exchanged startled glances and synchronised heartbeats, pouring energy into Severus; as they did so there were several PLOP! And CRAC! Noises as the rest of the bloodgroup arrived without ceremony, the younger ones falling in an undignified heap on the floor tangled in each other.

It was unspoken that they joined hands and synchronised; and Severus smiled, and took his silver knife from his pocket to slit his own palm.

"Severus…." Dumbledore made a half protest.

"You are important to us too" said Severus softly.

"Yeah" said Harry, with feeling. "We WILL do what we can"

The flesh on Dumbledore's hand started to reform, regrow.

"The ring….Krait, you take it off me" said Dumbledore. Krait obediently slid the ugly object from the headmaster's damaged hand, feeling a slight tingle from it as she did so.

"There is a reason you picked me" she said, examining it closely.

"It is the ring of the Peverell family, descended from Salazar Slytherin, ancestors of the Gaunts from whom you are also descended" Dumbledore's voice was stronger. "If there was any residual curse, I felt you would be less at risk than any other…."

"It knows me…." said Krait. "Why – what – how and all the other questions?"

Dumbledore smiled; his colour was much better and under the rain of blood droplets from Severus his hand was almost entirely healed.

"Extraordinarily powerful" he murmured. "I never thought….I wondered if a small group could back Harry….you have stumbled on something of unexpected power."

"Only because we love, sir" said Krait. "We are bound by love as well as blood. I am convinced that it enhances the effect."

"Oh, undoubtedly" agreed Dumbledore. "Severus has a remarkable knowledge of counter curses….but the addition of the power of all of you….forgive me, children, I am just overwhelmed by this….I would have deemed the loss of a hand a fair price to pay for the destruction of the evil in this….but…" he flexed his hand. "Forgive any unseemly lack of modesty, but had it not been for my own prodigious skill the curse on this must have killed me outright, but I now could have wished for backing such as this…. I will not underestimate your collective abilities in future."

"Good" said Krait. "It drives Harry up the pole being talked down to all the time."

The New Marauders and Ellie stayed very quiet. They had no intention of reminding any grown up that they were, after all, only twelve.

"Tom Riddle could not, and cannot understand that love is the greatest magic" sighed Dumbledore. "He created Harry to be his Nemesis, left him with insights, with Parseltongue; and yet with no desire to follow the Dark Arts"

"Of course not!" said Harry indignantly. "He killed my mum and dad….his followers did worse to Neville's parents, and he stole Draco's parents from themselves and from each other….I'm prepared to accept Krait's word that Lucius is only that nasty because of Riddle…"

"In short, you are protected by your ability to love" said Dumbledore. "Understand, Harry, the prophecy is only important because Voldemort made it so….he 'marked you as his equal'…had he not known it existed do you think he would have acted to try to kill you and therefore make the prophecy start to come true BY HIS OWN ACTIONS?"

"Always in motion is the future" murmured David.

"By stepping from your path to change something you can in fact make it come true" said Krait excitedly. "it's a paraphrase not a quote but it sums it up…is that true, then, professor?"

"Oh yes" said Dumbledore. "There are many unfulfilled prophecies in the Department of Mysteries….by killing Harry's parents, Voldemort erred, for he imparted to Harry a furious desire for revenge! Tyrants often create their own worst enemy because all of them fear the people they repress, fear that one day there will be one who will rise against them and strike back. Voldemort is no different; and when he heard of the prophecy he leapt into action and as a consequence handpicked the tool of his own destruction!"

"But" said Harry "If that's so, surely the bit about having to destroy one of us….I've got to try to kill him, or he'll kill me."

"Of course you've got to" said Dumbledore "But not because of the prophecy….because you hate everything he stands for!"

"And past revenge too" said Krait. "Revenge carries its own piece of the Dark Arts because it's negative….it's for the love of his friends and surrogate family and his and their descendants time out of mind that Harry knows he must do this…."

Harry nodded.

"Yeah" he said. "I see…I fight because I CHOOSE to…as my parents, and Neville's parents chose to…..as Molly and Arthur and the Order and you lot here do….we can hold our heads up high because he can't force us just to react."

"I told you he'd grown up a lot, Albus" said Severus proudly. He dropped an arm round Harry's shoulder while Sirius dropped his arm over the other.

"All of which is important, but can we get back to my family's ring?" asked Krait.

Dumbledore smiled.

"Certainly….I told you that I suspected that Tom made more than one Horcrux; almost certainly the diary he used to trap Ginny into opening the Chamber of Secrets was one….you destroyed that, Harry." He patted Ginny on the hand and she grinned.

"Fought him the next time….blood group again" she said.

"Indeed…never ceases to amaze me what you have managed to do with it….anyway, I searched the old Gaunt house….I have some memories to share with you, Harry, and Krait, that you'll be telling the others; some of them involve Tom Riddle's early life, his mother's life and his likely acquisition of certain treasures that would be significant to him for the storing of horcruces….I think that will explain much."

"Know the enemy" David Fraser nodded thoughtfully.

"Precisely" said Dumbledore. "I found the ring there and there I believe I have destroyed it as a horcrux….Tom wore it for his last year or so at school, I recall….he was wearing it in the heavily edited memory I had from Horace Slughorn, in which we are supposed to believe that Horace refused to tell him anything about horcruces. Severus, Krait, if you will work on Horace, he is moving from muggle house to muggle house to avoid being forced to become a Death Eater….if you cannot get him to tell you, I will see if he will respond to Harry."

"Why would he?" asked Harry

"Because he is a man of vanity who, without wishing to have power himself, likes to cultivate those who are likely to make a name for themselves….he does favours and expects favours in return, from tickets to Quidditch matches to boxes of crystallised pineapple" said the head dryly. "You are about the most famous youth of the age and as such would tickle his sense of vanity."

"We'll do our best, Albus" said Severus grimly. "Though you may not approve of our methods…"

"I am sure you will not hurt him, Severus" said Dumbledore blandly.

Krait grinned.

"HE however doesn't need to know of your certainty" she said.

"Meantime, Professor, we so are in trouble" said Hermione "We apparated without licences and we're all under age except Krait, Severus and Sirius…."

Sirius chuckled.

"Wrong, Hermione" he said, waving a hand to Sirri and Beloc. "You apparated from house elf instinct in your blood…..it's not noticeable to the ministry because house elves apparate so frequently and freely it's taken no notice of. It won't register as magic used where only underage wizards and witches are. And incidentally, you are at the Burrows….where magic is used commonly, the Ministry assumes that adults keep their underage offspring from using magic. Only the younger ones and Harry would have been at risk, and nobody would think our smaller people would manage apparating."

"Succinctly stated Sirius" said Dumbledore. "You had better all get back to where you are supposed to be, however. I am grateful for your intervention…. I will want to talk to the Dursleys about your last year with them, Harry, I will call in a couple of nights."

"Can't we kidnap him a little bit first?" asked Krait. "Draco and I so want to play with Dudley a little bit, purely physical, no magic" she added hastily "Just to show him…."

Dumbledore looked at her thoughtfully.

"Very well….you can borrow him and take him to The Burrows for me, unless you fail with Slughorn, in which case I will take him to see Horace myself and then on to The Burrows" he agreed.

"There was one more thing, sir" said Draco. "In the excitement it got subordinated….I am now considered a Death Eater and…" he gulped "I have orders to kill you."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Severus has trained you well in occlumency" said Dumbledore. "I am not surprised."

"Was it because you destroyed his horcrux?" asked Draco.

"I think not….that only occurred in the last few hours. I believe that he has split his soul many times and cannot feel the effect of the destruction of any one."

"Dad said he was real angry over him slipping the diary into Ginny's cauldron" Draco volunteered.

"Yes, he would be….but he found out afterwards. Of course, had he trusted your father enough to tell him that he had given a piece of his soul to him to guard, Lucius would not have tried to serve his own end by opening the Chamber of Secrets with it….presumably Voldemort told him it would have that effect."

Draco nodded.

"He's undergone a change of opinion over muggles….Charlotte has some latent power, you know, I guess it attracted Jonathon Malfoy to her, she can mix the magical paints and paint moving pictures and she's a brilliant artist!"

"And it is love that saves your father…love for you, and for Charlotte and the children" said Krait. "Does Narcissa think they are your father's bastards?"

Draco shook his head.

"No, dad told her the truth about that….she was mollified that he'd not been deceiving her for years, though she doesn't like having half breeds in the house…she tolerates them kind of because I show her I like having a little brother and sister. Which I do." Said Draco.

"Well….we have work to do" said Krait. "Hyoo Pewter, away…."

"Eh?" Abrax was startled. "It should be Silver!"

"Can't afford silver, had to devalue…." Krait grinned. "Albus, while you're in a good mood, can I teach mostly full time this year and just study the extra subjects I'm taking on my own time? It would be more comfortable being on the staff table."

Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"And how would your father take that if he found out?" he said "He would wonder, if you were teaching, whether I had subverted you…. Better to retain the anonymity of a schoolgirl and just continue to help out Severus as his classroom assistant. I know you find it irksome but I prefer it that way. And as Lucius is the most active governor you need not worry about censure over Lilith."

"I wasn't" said Krait "Just complaining that I feel too separated from children to have to act like one. I take your point however I suppose" she sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Threats of torture but if you REALLY think Krait would harm a dumb creature like a slug after following her fortunes this far you don't know her very well. Rather a short one**_

**Chapter 2: Slugging around with Horace**

The village of Budleigh Babberton was as infested with mist as everywhere else seemed to be since the dementors had left Azkaban. Krait and Severus arrived quietly with Sirri and Beloc to help deaden their arrival from any listening wizard and proceeded to the house where Dumbledore had said Horace Slughorn was staying. It was a small, neat stone house in its own garden; and Severus and Krait walked serenely up the path in the wake of the postman.

"They're on holiday, mate" said the postman cheerily. "In the Canary Islands. Still get junk mail and bills o'course"

"As inevitable as death and taxes" said Severus. "I was told they have a house sitter though, who would doubtless be glad to have that dangerous gas leak seen to before he gets blown up in his bed…"

"Let's hope you're right, mate!" said the cheerful postman, whistling his way back down the path.

Severus knocked.

There was no answer.

"Well, if he was listening he didn't take my bait about the danger…he may have recognised me" Severus murmured. "_alohamora"_

the door yielded under the spell; and they entered a small neat room with good quality furnishings and a rather overstuffed armchair that made the place looked cluttered. Krait's eyes narrowed and she dug her wand hard into the chair.

"We can do this the easy way, Professor Slughorn or I can force you back into shape" she said. "I can, you know….though I'm intrigued by a non animate shapechange, I'd not have thought of it… to retain the awareness thus…."

The chair yelped when she prodded it and warped back into the shape of a fat, bald old man with a huge silver walrus moustache, massaging his belly.

"Who are you? Dumbledore I half expected…. Snape" he said, seeing Severus. His tone was not totally warm.

"Slughorn….we shan't take much of your time."

"Unfair to creep up on a fellow hiding behind legitimate muggle callers…."

"And failing to give you a chance to set a better scene? Krait here is impressed by your ability with Transfiguration, it's a speciality of hers too, she's an animagus."

Slughorn regarded Krait with more interest.

"You are, are you? What form?"

"Snake" said Krait. "For a Slytherin quite appropriate, don't you think?"

"Indeed, indeed…." He rubbed his hands. "Used to be head of Slytherin myself, once….Snape is now, I believe?"

Severus gave a frosty bow.

"I have that honour" he said. "But whilst we are here to reminisce it is not about the excellencies of House Slytherin….more about one of its deficiencies…"

"Indeed?"

"Why don't I fix coffee?" said Krait. "Then we can talk…."

"I'm not coming back to Hogwarts" said Slughorn.

"No need….if you cooperate" said Krait, coldly. "I want to talk to you about my father."

"Your father? I don't think I know….Lucius Malfoy?"

"No. Tom Marvolo Riddle" said Krait coldly and precisely.

Slughorn paled.

"Really, I'm sure there's nothing…"

"Harry is my friend" said Krait. "He has to fight my loathsome father to the death, the man who killed his parents, including your favourite, Lily Evans….there is nothing I would not do to help protect my friends."

Horace Slughorn smiled. It was a little forced.

"Rather melodramatic, young lady."

"I get that from my father" Krait let her eyes fill red and Slughorn jerked involuntarily away. "Severus says you are too good a wizard to get caught without antidote to veritaserum; or to be legilimensed. But one can overdose with veritaserum….or use the crude but sometimes effective muggle methods of chopping off the odd digit at a time until the torturee cracks and talks. I care what happens to Harry and my friends. I never met you before, so I would care why?"

Slughorn stared in horror.

"Snape, she's a monster!" he said.

"She states her case quite plainly, however" said Severus. "I loved Lily Evans desperately, if secretly….I care more for protecting her son than I do for a teacher who was generally more concerned with the well connected than the talented…it was Lily's charm that drew you to her, as much as her ability with potions; her charm of manner was genuine, unlike Tom Riddle's. I am not squeamish; and Krait has had a horrific upbringing where the sufferings of children were the sport of her supposed guardians."

"You were raised by Death Eaters?" He was horrified.

"No, by sadistic muggles" Krait shrugged. "though I can take the cruciatus curse without screaming….I pass out first, I'm stubborn that way. Are you?" she asked clinically.

"You – you can't use an Unforgiveable curse on me…the ministry…"

"Who needs to? There is an open fire….pokers….electricity burns too and negates any magical defence…." Krait glanced around the room.

"You sound like a Death Eater."

"No, I think not….they enjoy what they do because HE has warped them….I do what is needful efficiently and dispassionately. Would you like to strip, or shall I burn your clothes on you?" she picked up a table lamp and took off the shade and removed the bulb.

"What did you want to know?" he asked nervously.

"It's quite simple….I know you explained to my father what horcruces are, I only want to know if he mentioned any number to you."

Slughorn eyed her with dislike.

"If he had said anything, I believe he was keen on arithmantic significance…." He said. "He might have mentioned that seven parts of anything would be more efficient….."

"He speaks sooth" said Severus "He slipped up on the occlumency…..I saw the boy Riddle ask the question….."

"Good" said Krait. "Then we know what to prepare for…."

"Are you going to kill me?" Slughorn asked fearfully.

Severus looked at Krait and they both laughed.

"Whatever for?" said Krait.

"I might report you to the ministry….."

"For using no magic? For making threats which I had no intention of carrying out? For forcing a box of crystallised pineapple on you as a thank you gift?" she produced a box of the same "Which does not contain veritaserum…..THIS one contains veritaserum" she showed him an identical box with a small mark at one corner. "I hoped you'd tell us for affection for Lily….."

"Well upon my soul….!" Slughorn was indignant.

"Do you think Dumbledore would permit anyone to hurt you?" asked Severus. "Drastic times call for drastic bluffs….though it was all I could do not to laugh to hear Krait using terrible threats when she is the girl who had long arguments with Minerva over whether it was ethical or if it were cruel to turn hedgehogs into pincushions or beetles into buttons."

"She did, did she?" Slughorn looked at Krait anew. The girl shrugged.

"I'm notoriously soft hearted about hurting animals…..though I can stretch a point to hurt Gryffindors occasionally…." She grinned.

"What house is Harry Potter in?" Slughorn asked almost greedily.

"He's a Gryff…..but nobody's perfect" said Krait.

"Like his mother….one should not be surprised…."

"Yes…..she gave her life for him, it was that that created the blood magic that bounced the killing curse" said Krait.

"If you'd told me that I might have spoken to you more willingly!" said Slughorn angrily. Krait fixed him with her intense, violet gaze.

"Would you? I don't think so, sir….you are running scared, you would not I think have given any information that compromised your own safety….only by threatening that could I get through to you….it seemed less unfair than surreptitiously poisoning you with veritaserum in sweeties…."

Slughorn stared, then he gave an unwilling crack of laughter.

"Merlin's beard, you have a strange sense of ethics….but I would never have forgiven a trick like that, never…."

"Then the decision was right….betrayal of trust is dirty, even when it is the only way" said Krait. "If you run scared of Death Eaters, why not come to Hogwarts, not to teach or put a strain on yourself, but under Professor Dumbledore's protection in a secluded wing in comfort?"

"With all that has happened there? A death Eater on the staff only last year? I couldn't!"

Krait shrugged.

"Well, if you change your mind, I think it's the safest place in the world; and I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would offer you hospitality. I hope you enjoy the unadulterated pineapple….I'll not be offended to know that you'll use the Revelaspell on it" she grinned.

-/-

"You were quite frightening in there" said Severus as they walked away. "You almost had me believing that you were going to do it…"

"I remember despising the nuns when they were hurting us" said Krait "Because they so obviously enjoyed it….to despise them was a victory, it worked against the fear. It struck me that to be utterly emotionless about it would be more menacing, there would be nothing human to hate, despise or taunt."

"I'd say it worked very well" said Severus.


	3. Chapter 3

_Malicia: I hadn't figured out before that I can enable anonymous reviews! Thank you for reviewing! I think it's enabled on everything now…. Lilith is mostly cared for physically by the elves, Krait gets a lot of cuddle time with her, but I haven't included it in the story always… she makes a few cameos in this one. Assume she gets carted around by Krait most places but there's that mass confundment so nobody notices... and just wait for the story when she starts Hogwarts…._

**Chapter 3: Malfoy Caddish and a silver Rolls Royce**

The beautiful silver grey Rolls Royce was quite the most expensive and opulent car that had ever been seen in Privet Drive; and the liveried chauffeur was only apparent as a goblin to members of the wizarding community. Jark had been in the service of Lucius Malfoy for all of his working life and would have cheerfully worked for a master many times more exacting for the pleasure of playing with kit like the Roller and the other cars Lucius deemed it suitable to keep available to him. It was gratifying that Mister Draco was actually taking more of an interest in the vehicles and relying on Jark's knowledge of what impressed muggles, even if Miss Krait did seem to be almost as well informed on that as Jark himself. Jark did enjoy the way the Roller turned heads as they swept through suburbia; it was like being royalty. He drew up outside number four with a flourish.

The two immaculate teenagers who emerged from the car might have been brother and sister: and indeed Draco and Krait looked on each other almost as such. They were dressed casually and in muggle fashion; and no muggle could fail to notice that their clothing was of the best and worn with an easy grace that suggested they did not think twice about it. Draco did not, though he had needed to become accustomed to muggle clothes; Krait merely had learned the self confidence to be unconscious of what she wore. The watching youth from down the road – one of Dudley Dursley's regular victims – goggled.

"V-visiting the Dursleys?" he ventured.

"Visiting Harry Potter" said Krait. "He goes to school with us."

The boy goggled again.

"I thought he was supposed to go to some borstal for criminal boys?" he said, incredulous that the visions before him should be criminals. And one was most certainly not a boy.

Krait stared and Draco laughed a drawling laugh.

"Is that what that jealous old fool tells people?" he asked. The boy nodded, having no trouble discerning Uncle Vernon from that description.

"It's a jealous lie?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's a creep" said Krait. "Harry's parents left him well off, but Vernon can't touch it…..and they arranged all his school fees to be paid if anything happened to them, because they never trusted the Dursleys not to rip Harry off if they could….we all go to boarding school together in Scotland, nice place, we personally think it's better than Eton, on account of the grouse shooting, you know….nice to meet you." She gave a friendly nod to the lad who ran off to spread the news whilst the evidence of the limousine was still outside number four with its obvious custom plate LUC1US.

Lucius was like that sometimes.

-/-

The Malfoys knocked; and Vernon Dursley opened the door, having already seen the limo, and wanting nothing less than to keep the owners of such an exotic vehicle waiting. He goggled at them like a bemused Walrus.

"We've come to see Harry, old boy" drawled Draco. "I say, I hear your boy boxes….wonder if he'd care to stand up for a few rounds with me? I'd like the chance to meet a new opponent."

"You – see Harry? I don't want any of you FUNNY types around, nor none of that business used on my son, d'you hear?" he rumbled.

Draco held up a languid hand.

"Certainly not…it's no sport to use unfair means the boy doesn't have at his disposal…." He glanced over Vernon's shoulder to where Dudley was gawping incredulously. "What say you, young Dursley? Of course, you're carrying too much weight to be much cop as a fighter, but…."

"I can lick you any day you poncey cissy!" yelped Dudley.

Draco grinned.

"That appears to be an acceptance….in the garden then? That way you'll know, Mr Dursley that I can't use magic, not without getting into serious trouble" he inclined his head to Vernon. "I'm still under age, being the same age as Harry, and I believe Dudley…."

Harry had come cautiously to the head of the stairs to see what a Rolls Royce was doing outside the house.

"Draco! Krait!" he said happily.

Vernon turned and glared at him.

"You never told me any of your weirdo friends were going to turn up" he growled.

"I didn't know" said Harry.

"Unexpected, that's us" said Draco, cheerfully. "My dad owns the site they're building the new Asda store on so we came down to transact some business in the region for him, see that they're sticking to contract and all that."

Vernon looked like he was about to bust a vein.

"You – your types own OUR land?"

Draco looked down his nose.

"It has been in my family since before YOUR ancestors crawled out of flea infested wattle and daub shacks" he said coldly. "I think it is futile making an issue of heritance though, don't you? Unless you wish to see my bout with Dudley as some kind of trial by combat….Harry, you must be your cousin's second, there's a good fellow."

"Ah…..right" said Harry. He glanced at his aunt who had just emerged; but Petunia glanced at Krait with frightened recognition. Krait inclined her head gracefully in return.

-/-

Dudley was keen to show off to his father that he could take on one of the horrid creatures from Harry's unnatural school; he was eager for the match up. He even phoned up a couple of his cronies to ask them over to see him smear a rich kid all over the neighbourhood.

Inevitably other watchers drifted up too.

Draco squared up to Dudley with aplomb. He had been working hard on martial arts with the Muggle Studies Hobbies Group and was as fit as anyone could be; most of the local girls who had come over out of curiosity murmured appreciatively and giggled behind their hands at his flat muscular belly as he stripped down. Dudley did not show to advantage with a bare chest; and wisely kept his T-shirt on.

Draco was more used to Wing Chun Kung Fu than boxing; but there were enough hitting moves within it, and his blocking moves were not illegal. He avoided holds and kept above the waist, and Vernon certainly did not know enough to recognise Queensbury rules if they were there or no.

Dudley soon retreated. Even his best attacks landed on arms conditioned and hardened and hurt as much as if he had been the one hit; and when Draco landed one on him, he knew all about it!

"He's hurting me!" he complained.

Draco looked down his nose.

"M'cousin here told me you were a little girl….I see she was quite right."

"Go on, Dudders, give him the old one-two!" encouraged Vernon.

"Not likely!" said Dudley "He's got steel under his skin!"

Vernon rounded on Draco.

"Have you been…." He demanded in an undertone.

"I do a lot of martial arts conditioning" said Draco airily. "Thousands of minute breaks to the bones make them grow harder….it's a painful training, but it works….none of what you call funny business. Pure physical training. Harry, strip down and show your cousin how a man fights."

Draco and Harry were well matched and sparred regularly; the blows they exchanged were fast and furious.

Uncle Vernon stared, incredulous.

"Harry? But he's just a wimp…." He expostulated. He half suspected Draco of pulling his blows; but the bruise rapidly developing on Harry's cheek and Draco's black eye dispelled that idea. Harry's muscles too stood out against his wiry frame; and the boys moved with practised ease and speed.

"Points….even" said Krait cheerfully as the pair dropped back by mutual consent to get their breath. "Good job I didn't offer to take on the Pudding Bag, he'd have been even more embarrassed to be beaten up by someone my size!"

As Krait never reached five feet without New Rocks this was quite true.

Draco turned and smiled brightly at the scowling Dudley.

"That's how to do it, old boy….you mustn't be afraid of getting hurt, it's only pain, after all….Harry's good."

Vernon was purple.

"I never knew they taught the manly arts at…that place" he ground out, trying vainly to hoosh the onlookers and the purring group of Draco's new admirers.

Draco smiled even more brightly.

"I don't suppose you ever asked Harry, did you?" he enquired quizzically.

Dudley scowled even more.

Aunt Petunia put a protective arm about her son but made no move to call down Draco as she might have any other youthful wizard.

"I'll lick you another time!" said Dudley resentfully.

Draco regarded him thoughtfully.

"Lose a few pounds….take up the sort of fitness regimen we do, and maybe you could" he said dispassionately.

"And what fitness regimen is that?" asked Dudley, half interested despite himself.

"We rise at five-thirty and run for half an hour across the moors; then we drill for half an hour; then we spar for half an hour" said Draco "Though often that last contains more, er, specialist drill too. Then we shower and go for breakfast. Does wonders for the appetite, though there's no harm in that if it's well balanced. Do you the world of good, old boy."

"How often?" asked Dudley.

"Oh, daily" said Draco airily. "No days off just because you fancy a lie in….the girls would invade our dorms with icy water jugs if we tried it" he grinned at Krait.

"THAT's what you've been up to in the mornings!" said Dudley accusingly to Harry.

Harry shrugged.

"I'm not about to lose my tone and fitness level just because running in the streets isn't as convivial as hill work" he said half defiantly, wondering if Uncle Vernon was going to forbid it.

"Oh boy, LONDON!" groaned Draco. "I hate it when dad takes us up to the town house….still Kensington Park's ok…"

"Yeah" said Krait grinning. "And pissing off those snotty little cads from Sandhurst who thought they could pace us….that was so funny…"

"Meh…they were wusses" said Draco "They wanted to pull you, m'dear…say, Harry, now we've done what dad wants we're off the leash for a few days, you coming with us for a while on your way over to stay with the Weasleys?"

"I'm not packed…"

"Lazy toerag" said Krait. "You knew you were going to Molly and Arthur's…we're just stealing you a couple of days early. I'll help and I'm over age so I can do it the quick way." She smiled brightly.

"Uh…that is okay, isn't it Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked out of habit.

Vernon huffed.

"Of course it is!" said Petunia hastily.

"Oh yeah, I've a message from Professor Dumbledore for you, Mr Dursley, Mrs Dursley" said Draco. "He wants to pop in to talk about Harry's future with you so he'll drop by about eleven o'clock tomorrow night. He'll tell you all about it when he comes!" he smiled brightly again.

Petunia paled; her lack of colour was more than made up for by Vernon's increased colour however, so Draco felt there was a degree of artistic balance to the arrangement of the pair and nodded cheerfully.

-/-

Dudley seized a chance to have a word with Harry; his despised cousin's prowess at martial arts had impressed him; and Harry spoke to him earnestly for several minutes while Krait, eyeing the boys shrewdly, took herself into Harry's room and got on with his packing for him. She was not displeased. Harry was an indifferent packer at the best of times. She heard Harry say,

"Okay, I'll write to you then…" as she came out; and so she nodded to Dudley in a not unfriendly way. If Harry could turn around his relationship with Dudley – who in Krait's opinion had been sinned against by his parents as much as Harry himself, in a different way – then it was all to the good and Harry's friends must needs meet the spoiled brat half way.

-/-

Krait came down the stairs with Harry and his trunk and Jark leaped smartly from the car to stow it in the boot.

Harry sank back into luxurious cushions.

"Free!" he breathed. "Slughorn go all right then?"

Krait nodded.

"Seven" she said.

"Seven horcruces?"

"No….six, plus the original him…..six and seven are both significant, but the total, seven is most so. There's the book, the ring, and Dumbledore said there's a Slytherin locket, Helga Hufflepuff's cup – we'll get to watch in the penseive how he got them – probably his snake Nagini and one other. Dumbledore hypothesises a relic of Ravenclaw as Godric Gryffindor's sword is safe. I wondered briefly if it might instead be you…." She paused as Harry gasped "But I came to the conclusion that if you'd become a horcrux by being joined to him, he could have possessed you as a baby and used your body, thrusting aside the infant mind."

"You gave me a nervous moment there" said Harry seriously "Because that would only mean we could destroy him by killing me."

Krait nodded.

"It wasn't an option I relished either….but even if the use of your blood had increased the tie, I think he's already got his six….and he'd surely have used more control over you since."

Harry nodded.

"And I can block him….which means I could probably destroy the inner part of him with help anyway if he has a part of his soul in me."

Krait nodded.

"I will do all I can to find out from him….but we have enough to move on to start to run down the others first" she said.

Harry nodded.

"Good….I'm glad we are going to get more trust from Professor Dumbledore."

"He knows we can hack it" said Draco. "I for one will be glad if we can resolve this quickly….before Fishface starts to make noises about why I haven't killed Dumbledore yet….I can't imagine what I'd be feeling if I wasn't on the same side as everyone else, I guess I'd be really scared…"

Harry punched him on the shoulder lightly, and Krait patted his hand. Draco grinned at them, feeling idiotically happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Unicorn Blood**

Severus and Krait had not told any of the others about the project they had been working on together; in case it failed. When Krait had waved Harry goodbye at the Burrows she returned to her husband and raised an eyebrow.

"The potion is completed" he said. "Let us go and try it out."

Krait nodded.

"I don't think anything can make matters worse" she said. "Unicorn blood ought to restore anything, oughtn't it? It will work like real unicorn blood?"

"we've been over this a thousand times…Minerva was happy with your transfiguration, though blown away might describe her reaction better….we used the revelaspell on the blood I took from your unicorn form and my wand could tell no difference….it did not change when you changed back….by combining it with a memory potion and your wonderful flower" his voice softened recalling that Krait had made the flower Severia for him "I think we have every expectation of a favourable outcome."

"Which is good, coming from a pessimist like you" grinned Krait. "Frankly though, I think Slughorn's assumption of the inanimate is more impressive than morphing into just another mammal, even a magical one. Wrapping the intellect for that and making sure all the organs return from so radical a change is an impressive feat; and I acknowledge his skill even if I didn't like him much. At least a Unicorn has most of the same body parts as me and a self-awareness to tuck my own thoughts into."

-/-/-

Krait had been to the street entrance of St Mungo's once before, when her weak lungs were sorted out with medical spells; she still found it bizarre to announce themselves to the apparent dummy in a supposed shop window then walk straight through into the reception area. Severus sniffed at the sign directing people to curing of curses.

"I know every member of the curse breaker staff….taught them all. Adequate at best" he sniffed.

"Not everyone stands in your league of understanding dark arts, be fair" said Krait.

"Any one of the MSHG has more latent ability" he said scathingly "Than the ninnies here….our people think outside the box. The dark arts are like a many-headed monster, many, varied, ever-changing; and every time you sever a head another one, cleverer, fiercer, sprouts in its place…they are unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Only by being as flexible and inventive can anyone hope to destroy or undo curses and dark magic. We have practised that…we have a remarkable team, even outside the blood group, people who think on their feet. Not one of the healers here could have stopped the burning to Albus' hand as I could have done even without the Kindred….it required understanding and feeling my way and recognising the subtleties…."

Krait slipped her hand in his.

"But then, would the job be likely to attract those of great calibre when ninety-nine percent of the time they're dealing with taking a jelly-leg hex off little Johnny because he threw stones at the Hag down the road?" she asked reasonably. "After all, dear, if you had to spend all your time dehexing brats that probably thoroughly deserved it, you'd be more likely to send them home with a few more curses than they came with just for irritating you."

Severus laughed.

"Only too true….let's get up to the fifth floor for what we came here for."

-/-

The closed ward contained those cases of magical damage that required long term care or for the incurable cases; Krait had come here before to visit Abigail Greengrasse in her carefully induced coma, and to bring the unconscious girl's infant son Salazar to visit, so the staff were used to her and Severus as a regular attendant. The children were all with David's gran at this time, helped out by Sirri and probably hindered by Beloc who was a prime favourite with Jade and Lydia for the creative amounts of trouble he could get them into. Krait stopped to pat Abigail's hand; but as soon as the staff were distracted by Gilderoy Lockhart's regular quest for more adoring fans – he steered clear of Krait, who had turned partially into a snake and hissed at him when he tried to give her his autograph – the couple hurried to the end behind the curtains where Frank and Alice Longbottom spent their time.

Frank sat on the bed staring at nothing. Alice was thin and careworn, and the last vestiges of her likeness to her son's round, good natured visage were almost gone. Both had white hair. Krait had made an effort to make herself known to them, and she had come sometimes with Neville; Alice at least had seemed pleased he had a friend. How much she had understood of who Neville was exactly Krait did not know; and she hesitated to pry with legilimensy. Now, however, she smiled at Alice and poured out a potion into the bedside goblet, offering it to her. Severus did the same for Frank. Alice smiled shyly and sipped.

"Drink it all down…it's good for you" said Krait softly. Alice did as she was bid; doubtless she was used to such orders from the healers. Severus was assisting Frank. Krait plunged into Alice's mind though the overlarge, vacant eyes and prepared to assist the potion by reconnecting memories long lost as the effects of the potion brought them to the fore.

The difference in the mental pathways started gradually, subtly; then there was a sudden shock of knowledge; and Alice was meeting Krait's eyes with full horror and understanding.

"How long have we been here?" her voice was low and intense.

Krait took her hands in her own tiny ones.

"Sixteen years give or take some, Madam Longbottom." She said softly.

"Neville….my baby….but I've seen him, almost fully grown…." Tears welled up in Alice's eyes. "All this time…."

"Alice?" Frank asked. "That's Severus Snape and he's aged…."

"We've all aged, dearest…." Said Alice. "Sixteen years…..I remember time passing, but it's dim, like a nightmare….."

"Yes…." Frank nodded. "He-who-must-not-be-named…."

"We call him Fishface at Hogwarts" said Krait. "He was thought dead when he failed to kill Harry Potter because of Lily's sacrifice…"

Alice gasped.

"Lily's dead?"

Krait swallowed hard.

"Keep forgetting, you didn't know" she said gruffly. "James and Lily….there was a prophecy, he could have thought it meant Neville or Harry….he chose to believe it was Harry and made him so….Harry survived the killing curse, he and Neville are real good friends, also Ron and Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, my cousin Draco Malfoy and me, we kind of run around together…."

"MALFOY? I always suspected Lucius of being a Death Eater!" exploded Frank. "And Snape too, for that matter…"

"There's a lot of water under the bridge…." Said Krait as Severus looked down his nose, busy erecting barriers of invisible protection. "Neville doesn't know we were going to try this, we didn't want him to be disappointed….in case it didn't work. We did do right, didn't we, to restore all your memories?"

"There are some that are not exactly comfortable….but you did right" said Frank, grimly. "We need to get up….you said he was thought dead, I suppose that means ah, Fishface is still abroad?"

"Yes….he had a means to keep his consciousness alive while looking for a new body" said Severus. "He is returned, and the dementors have joined him. They are breeding; that's why it's foggy outside."

"That's sobering news" said Frank.

"We must return to work" said Alice.

"Uh-uh!" Krait shook her head. "You must get fit and well first….and preferably as quietly as possible so nobody on the opposition knows you are well again….if you get dressed, we'll keep the staff occupied while you slip out…..to aurors it should be child's play. Go back to Augusta and Neville and recuperate."

"I don't even know your name" said Alice "Though I recognise your face as visiting with Neville, and on your own….you are a kind child, even if you are a Malfoy."

"Name's Krait….official name is Augusta, but Krait is what all my friends call me" said Krait. She stood on tiptoes to kiss Alice on the cheek. "Now, if we give you fifteen minutes…." Alice nodded and Krait and Severus whisked outside and pulled the curtains closed. Krait went to talk to the unconscious Abigail, telling her about Salazar's first word –"NO!" – directed primarily at her own daughter Lilith, whose own linguistic achievements seemed to largely feature Parseltongue. She told her how well Abigail's little sister Emmeline was doing as well, and about various funny incidents at Hogwarts. It was well known that hearing often operated when the other senses were non functional, and Krait fondly hoped that it helped Abigail in her stupor.

The curtains twitched; and Krait and Severus went to engage the duty healers in conversation, including questions about whether Abigail had shown any signs of stirring. She had not; and Severus would have been surprised if she had, for he had designed the charm that held her catatonic himself. Krait sent her snake Septimus off to watch and give the all clear when the Longbottoms were away; and chatted a minute or two more. She and Severus went back to say goodbye to Abigail and greet Gilderoy Lockhart civilly, if distantly whilst the staff did the rounds and discovered the absence of Frank and Alice.

"Did you look in on the Longbottoms?" the healer asked Krait, almost hysterically.

"I did….they seemed to be sleeping, so I came away" said Krait. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing….nothing…." the healer said wildly. "I….perhaps you'd not mind going now…I need to talk to somebody."

Krait gave her the sort of funny look anyone might give when knowing themselves to be fobbed off; but she and Severus shrugged and withdrew.

"And by staying until after they found them gone we establish our innocence" she said to him later.

"We are innocent….of wrongdoing" said Severus.

"But our involvement must not become known in case it gets back to daddy-dear" said Krait.

He nodded.

"You really do have larcenous instincts….if Harry had known you from his first year, he's have got away with far more even than he did…."

Krait chuckled.

-/-

Neville came through the loo network crying tears of sheer joy to throw his arms around both Krait and Severus.

Severus cleared his throat embarrassed.

"I told my dad you've been like a dad to me while he's been ill" said Neville. "I hope you didn't mind…you've been fantastic this last year…."

"Well…..glad I could help" Severus was blushing, but pleased. Neville chuckled a laugh which was half a sob as well.

"You're a big fraud, Severus Snape" he said, hugging him fiercely again. "You do scary so well on the outside, but you've got a soft centre all the while…don't deny it, my blood sings about it…."

"Neville Longbottom, if you ever dare tell anyone, you'll be gutting horned toads from then until your hair goes grey with age" threatened Severus.

Neville laughed.

"I'll keep your guilty secret, Domine" he said, borrowing Krait's nickname.

"Cocoa is called for, and marshmallows in it" said Krait. "It'll be a while for them to come up to date, Neville….and they can never have your childhood back….but we had no means earlier."

"How did you do it?" Neville wanted to know.

"Unicorn blood primarily….but I had to perfect form unicorn" Krait shrugged. "I had to make sure the blood I bled would have all the proper properties….and we added my flower too…"

"That flower is fantastic" said Neville enthusiastically, once he had got over the idea of unicorn blood being Krait's own blood. "You're so good at transfiguration….I can't thank you enough, either of you."

"Stuff" said Krait rudely. "What would any of us not do for our Kindred?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**I just like alliteration in chapter titles when I can get it…..**_

**Chapter 5: Winnowing through Weasleys**

Krait and Severus arrived at The Burrows in order to borrow Harry for a pre-term foray into the Pensieve; and found an air of tension over the normally happy house, apparently engendered by the presence of the Vila, Fleur Delacourt, who was engaged to Bill Weasley.

Ron was still somewhat under the influence of her magical fey beauty; and even Harry was not immune. Hermione and Ginny were decidedly huffy. Molly was positively snappy and looked low; and Krait crept away to talk to her friends leaving Severus chatting with the older Weasleys and a visiting Tonks, looking definitely seedy.

Once Krait had unlocked the underlying causes of the distinct Atmosphere, through the injured explanation of Ron, unable to see what was wrong, and the irritable diatribe of Hermione, adding to Ginny's moans about what it was like sharing a room with someone who treated you as if you were about three, Krait had a fair idea of the general situation. Even Harry murmured something about 'disruptive influence'. Krait fixed her bloodkin with a stern gaze, though not unmixed with amused tolerance.

"Well, I must say, you boys are distinctly poor prunesnot to use anything to think with higher than what you use to sit on your brooms" she said "Not even as high as the groin…though from Ron's rather silly look, Fleur's Vila powers seems to be infesting him there too…"

"Who are you calling a poor prune and casting aspersions at?" protested Ron, sounding hurt.

"You and Harry….Listen and consider my words O best beloved – I really am going to have to read Kipling to you children – and Think. All four of you can give it a try, it doesn't really hurt all that much."

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be truly offensive when you put your mind to it, Krait?" asked Hermione.

"Any amount" said Krait, cheerfully. "You…Padfoot…Severus….and what Wormtail and the Lestranges think of me doesn't bear repeating in civilised company….where was I? oh yes" she grinned "Poking what the lot of you fondly refer to as your brains with a stirring stick"

"I swear, she's WORSE than Hermione" growled Ron.

"I'm not commenting" said Harry.

"Sensible…yes, I'm FAR worse" agreed Krait, equably. "I can flaunt my year's seniority to you and be all mumsy at you too…the point, gentlemen and ladies, is that we all have a special bond. Right?"

"The blood bond…" said Ginny softly.

"Exactly" said Krait. "Those of us who are Kindred are closer than anyone else….even many married couples. Therefore, any relationship outside the Kinbonding is going to be shallow and unsatisfactory by comparison to what we have together."

"You mean we're likely to marry other members of the group?" said Harry.

"Give that boy five points and a coconut for managing the arithmancy involved to add two and two" said Krait. "Ron, if you haven't figured out by now who is the most important female in your life outside of your mother and sister there's no hope for you." She went on as Ron gaped "I know you've had your ups and downs and you've each tried to make the other jealous and that she started it because she couldn't believe how dense you were in the fourth year, but I think it's about time you put it behind you and grew up to make the most of it."

Hermione was burning.

Ron's mouth was wide enough open to catch flies.

Krait nodded cheerfully.

"Everyone knows about you two except you two" she said. "So we'll have no more trying to hurt each other because you can just to punish for real or imagined slights. You are both big enough and ugly enough to talk things through….or at least ask me to mediate. I can be quite tactful when I don't need to drive home what's going on like a piledriver, you know."

Hermione said in a small voice

"You make us sound childish…"

"People who love each other can be" said Krait, touching her friend's face gently. "Especially when it's something they're scared will damage a good friendship….there's no danger of that while we FEEL each other….but look at other examples…James Potter pissed off Lily Evans by showing off, you know, and Remus is being ridiculously noble by running away from Tonks…"

"Remus Lupin?" Harry was startled. "I thought she fancied Sirius…"

"She's been after Remus in ages….HE thinks that she deserves better than a werewolf and is getting seedier and seedier in refusing to let her come close….she's pining away to bits, she looked awful when I saw her in the kitchen and, wanting to help friends apart, we NEED them on top magical form to face Fishface."

"I thought it was Bill she fancied!" said Ginny. "Damn, damn DAMN! If only Tonks would marry Bill, not Phlegm…"

"Poor Fleur….there's nothing really wrong with the poor girl, you know" said Krait. "She's trying too hard to impress is all, because she's heard nothing from Bill except about how wonderful his family is, how perfect his mum is….and in trying to be pluperfect to impress Molly, she's only alienating her and making her stressed. I'll have a quiet word with her. she's just so desperate to be accepted….."

Several jaws dropped.

"Are you sure?" asked Ginny in a small voice.

"Positive….heard about much the same thing from so many orphans sent out to foster on trial for adoption, who got sent back for trying too hard" shrugged Krait. "Even Jade and Lydia got a bit under foot trying to help; it's classic."

The girls exchanged glances.

"So…it would be kind of grown up to extend olive branches" said Hermione.

"It's hard when she treats me as just a little girl" said Ginny, mutinously.

"Sure…she takes her tone from your mother; and you don't mind it so much from her, because she's your mum" said Krait. "Why don't you make an off-the-cuff and laughing comment to Fleur that your mum will never realise that you're taking your OWLs this year and are only a year or so younger than she was when she entered the Triwizard? Maybe it'll help her to think. Not resentful sounding, mind, just joking that you'll still be Molly's baby when you're forty four or something of that sort."

Ginny looked thoughtful.

"I'll try it" she said.

"Get her to talk about Bill, too….you'll soon see if she's in love with him or just with the glamour of his job as a curse breaker" said Krait.

"What are we going to do about Tonks and Professor Lupin?" asked Hermione.

"Short of locking them naked in a room with a big bed and too cold not to use it I'm not too sure yet….but I'll certainly be keeping that one in reserve" said Krait.

"Krait!" Hermione blushed.

"And don't think I won't use that on you and Ron if you're not married within a year of leaving school" Krait threatened.

Hermione blushed harder and gulped. Ron coloured up too.

Harry cleared his throat.

"Uh…Krait…I'd really like to get over and done what poor prunishness you were going to tick me off about…" he said.

Krait grinned.

"People so often run true to type" she said. "You look like your dad, and you have some of his characteristics, right?"

"Yeah" Harry replied cautiously.

"And he married Lily Evans, a feisty girl well capable of standing up for herself with what colour hair?"

"Red….oh." Harry went scarlet.

So did Ginny.

"Try not to blush, dear, it clashes…"quipped Krait.

"As though I have any control over it….."

"It's kind of cute…" said Harry tentatively.

"He means, in a good way" said Krait, kindly.

"Harry? And Ginny?" Ron stared incredulously.

"Why not?" asked Ginny belligerently, taking Harry's hand possessively.

"Well….better than the other creeps you've been snogging" said Ron. "I'm happy to have HARRY as a brother" he looked almost as belligerent as his sister.

"You weren't happy about Ginny having boyfriends…." Said Harry, cradling Ginny's hand in his. "I didn't want to come between you….or lose your friendship."

"Idiot" said Ron. "If she's YOUR girlfriend I won't have to worry, will I?"

Harry grinned idiotically and Ginny snuggled.

"Right" said Krait "Hermione – Ron: you stay here and talk. Ginny – Harry: Ginny's room, try not to get carried away. I'll be downstairs waiting for you, Harry, Dumbledore's going to give us an intensive Pensieve session for a couple of days, and that's the main reason I'm supposed to be here, not sorting out your respective love lives."

Ginny dragged Harry off by the hand; and Krait slid out as Ron and Hermione faced each other uncomfortably.

"No hitting" she admonished sternly as she left, wondering if she'd have enough time to sort out Molly and Fleur before Ginny finished eating Harry's face.

-/-

Arthur was there, ticking off Molly for not interrogating Severus and Krait more severely to determine that they were who they said they were, according to Ministry guidelines during the crisis.

"But I don't even know Severus' favourite brand of jam or deepest desire!" said Molly, not unreasonably.

Severus grinned.

"The last you do….Krait my dear, do convince Arthur who we are."

Krait chuckled and shrugged smoothly into the ivory snake and back.

"Er…thank you, Krait" said Arthur.

"I could impersonate you easily" said Krait "Any legilimens could if they were rude enough to go prying…and Death Eaters aren't that famed for their good manners…I could guess a lot and read the answers to questions in the eyes of the questioner, it's dead easy, the Ministry guidelines are a joke." She concentrated and pulled herself into Arthur's shape. "I REALLY want to know how eclectricity works" she said. "See?" and resumed her own form.

"Actually what I REALLY want to know is how aeroplanes stay up" said Arthur plaintively.

"Oh, I can arrange that" said Krait. "David Fraser knows all that sort of thing…you might have him to stay, he's an orphan from the same place as me, and he wants to know how to enchant an aeroplane because if the things muggles expect to fly did the flying….sorry Molly" as Mrs Weasley threw her arms up in horror.

"No you're not" said Molly. Krait hugged her.

"No, I'm not…I hear you're gaining another daughter."

Molly looked stony faced.

"I think they're rushing it"

"After knowing each other more than a year? Dear me, Molly, that tells me how much you disapprove of Severus and me…"

Molly flushed

"That's different."

Krait gave her a long, searching look.

"Has it never occurred to you that she might seem affected because she's trying to put on a good impression?" she asked.

Molly stared.

"Oh Krait, she's so…."

"So trying hard to prove how efficient she is so you think she'll be a suitable wife for Bill" nodded Krait. "She dealt with being nervous that way in the Triwizard, you know."

"Oh my dear! Do you really think it might only be that?"

"Yes I do" said Krait firmly. "Why not ask her about her own family….she only has a mum and a little sister, you know…and she adores Gabrielle, get her talking about her and I bet she'll be more natural! Ah, here's Harry."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: some unexpected developments**

Harry looked distinctly dazed and happy as he came into the kitchen. Krait was glad; at least that was one issue resolved. Ron and Hermione might take longer, though the blood-tie should help – especially if she emphasised the jolt each time one of them hurt the other.

"Buy her a ring" advised Krait as they walked out of the door. "You've no idea how much it means to a girl being fully engaged."

Harry flushed and glanced from Krait to Severus.

"Do you think so? You and Severus never…you don't wear your wedding ring…"

"I had a strange upbringing with no belongings….I wear my ring on my cross and locket chain anyway. As for engagement, we did that deep joining that was more than any rings or ceremony, which is what led to the whole blood group thing….I'd wait before you did that with Ginny, she's a year and more younger than I was when we did it…."

"But we may not have much time….if you're wrong about me not being a horcrux, you and Severus are going to have to kill me" he glanced up at Severus again. "Because if Fishface takes me over…..I don't think any of the others would be able to bring themselves to…"

Severus nodded, his jaw tight.

"If it comes to that…we'll not let him use you, lad" he said.

Harry nodded, relieved.

"I guess sometimes the choice to win is the choice to sacrifice, even if the sacrifice is of a major piece" he said, thinking of the bizarre chess game in the attempt to protect the Philosopher's Stone in his first year.

"Not that we shan't investigate other possibilities first" said Krait. "HE doesn't know that, even as we can add our power to any one, we could probably also drain it….on a happier note, how did your OWLs go?"

Harry brightened.

"'O's in DADA and Potions – never really expected the latter" he beamed jubilantly at Severus.

"You worked hard" said Severus "Though between you and me, you only scraped the 'O'; but a scraped 'Outstanding' still outranks an 'Exceeds Expectations'."

"I hoped for an 'E'….I did wonder if I could negotiate over relaxing your usual rule to let me take a NEWT….but I'm eligible anyway!"

"Even by my stringent standards….indeed you are" said Severus. "Lily was good at Potions…James could have been if he hadn't wasted his time treating the lesson as a means to make the sort of things Fred and George do. He never took it to NEWT. What else did you get?" he asked abruptly.

"I got 'E' for care of magical creatures, Charms, Herbology and Transfigurations – I was well pleased with that, 'cos it's what Madam McGonagall requires and I need that to be an Auror. I got an 'A' for astronomy and History of Magic, despite Fishface trying to interrupt it; and I failed Divination, which is no real surprise."

Severus chuckled.

"Ironic. Krait made up a load of rubbish and pulled off an 'A' in Divination without taking a lesson in her life…."

"Well, if you ask me, missing Trelawney's lessons would give her a better chance of passing anyway" said Harry. "I don't know why Dumbledore lets her live on in the unused wing after she got sacked. How were the rest of your results, Krait?"

Krait grinned.

"He lets her stay because her life's not worth a candle outside and he's a good man" she said "Because if I can tear the prophecy from her, so too can my father…and he'd kill her. She's awful, but not that awful. Anyway, I enjoyed myself, scaring the examiner with visions of Fishface, and writing about how Mars being in conjunction with Uranus meant all would be flushed with success…"

Harry laughed.

"You are awful….tell me about the rest, though…"

"Well. I pulled up my DADA to 'O' and Arithmancy too" she told him "And 'O's for Charms, Herbology and Enchantment….I got an 'E' for Care of magical Beasts, and I'm going to pursue that 'cos it'll help with Potions and with me transfiguring. Ten OWLs over two years is respectable. I'd say, for a latecomer."

"I'll say" said Harry. "Mind you, Hermione got her knickers in a twist just because she got ten 'O's and an 'E'…..she wanted eleven 'O's"

Krait and Severus both laughed.

"Hermione's a tad cocky" grinned Krait.

"Yeah, Ron teased her something rotten. He was glad to get seven passes, and a few 'E's among them" said Harry. "More than Fred and George got between them….Should you think he could do Potions, Severus?"

"Fred and George are NOT what you might call academic" said Severus dryly. "Yes, he will be able to do Potions…the new Potions master will accept an 'E'"

Harry paled.

"What? We – we're not LOSING you, sir?"

Severus surveyed him with a quizzical look.

"I reflect again that so short a while ago you would have viewed that prospect with enthusiasm…" he mused. "No, it is merely that Albus is concerned about the risk of the curse to the position of the DADA teacher. Since Albus refused the position to Fishface, Hogwarts has never kept a DADA teacher for more than a year….Sirius has held the position a couple of weeks short of that, coming late…so he will be teaching a new subject, Geomancy, for those who might wish to escape from Azkaban or anywhere else, it will be a voluntary Saturday class for all ages at first. As Horace Slughorn decided that Hogwarts was a safe place to be and contacted Albus, volunteering to teach too for a couple of terms, it has been decided that he would disarrange my dungeon whilst Albus asked me if I would be prepared to risk the job of Defence teacher."

"You've always wanted it though, haven't you sir?" asked Harry.

"Yes…." Severus spoke softly and his eyes glowed. "When I was young, the Dark Arts themselves fascinated me; the more I learn, the more I see the subtle fascination of being able to counter its ever-changing wiles….it is worthy of my not inconsiderable talents, for its very complexity is what defeats most….some people try to simplify, to see the fight as order against chaos, good against evil; but the best must allow some mutability and ruthlessness into their fighting style in order to combat it effectively, maybe even gain an upper hand. Even so is the chaos of darkness still bound by the laws of the universe. The MSHG will find the case of me preaching to the converted, but they should be able to lead the rest in class….I shall be starting with non-verbal spells; for a skilled occlumens can cast such without any clue to his opponent."

"something for me to work on" said Harry. "I'm not great at non-verbal spells."

"You're overenthusiastic" said Severus "And you have this urge to shout….all your school life you have had the tendency to open your big mouth and swallow your foot to the knee, you get THAT I'm afraid from your father. Considering how you were forced from your earliest years into a secret sort of life, it surprised me at first, but I'd not be surprised if in fact it were a reaction….so much anger in you at times, I suppose, son."

"It'll be easier with Ginny at your side" said Krait "An easier and more settled emotional life does wonders."

Harry nodded.

"I WILL succeed" he said.

"I know you will….so long as you don't let Fishface goad you the way you always let me goad you." Said Severus.

"I think having my Kindred as backup helps that" said Harry. "It's feeling so awfully alone and picked on, feeling that you have to be noisy just to hold your end up, even when it's the worst thing to do…."

Severus nodded and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I know….believe me, I know" he said. "You'll find other….support too, for what it's worth; you'll probably be invited to join the Slug Club" he added dryly.

"The WHAT?" Harry was nonplussed.

"Horace Slughorn's little unfunny joke….he picks out students who have connections that could do him good, and makes pets of them…sometimes he picked those of us who were just plumb good, but for some it took a while…..I am glad to say by the time he picked me I had already made up my mind to turn him down" said Severus with a grim smile.

"Was it because you were half blood, Severus?" asked Harry.

Severus shook his head.

"No, your muggle born mother was one of his favourites….he doted on her. Actually, it's one of the reasons I refused to join….jealousy of her. As well as not liking Horace particularly….he is a friend of Albus' so I will be civil enough, and plenty of people do like him; so don't let me prejudice you against him, for he COULD further your career as an Auror, he has a lot of pull at the Ministry through his old contacts and protégés. And I believe you ARE going to have a career when Fishface is dead."

"Thanks….I could use the unwonted optimism right now" grinned Harry. "All right, I'll make up my own mind on him…but I value your opinion, and I don't see Krait leaping in to contradict it. And she sees through most people…"

"I don't like him much" said Krait cheerfully "And the feeling is mutual…I threatened him something dreadful…."

"Chilling wasn't in it" grinned Severus. "She scared ME….the job of scourge of Hogwarts is hers for the taking if ever I should retire!" he wrapped an arm around his tiny wife and kissed her tenderly.

Harry sighed, wishing Ginny were there.

-/-

They stopped off at the nursery before reporting to Dumbledore, and various small people flung themselves at them. With Jade and Lydia screaming "Daddy! Daddy!" was the minute figure of Mimi; and Sirri grabbed her.

"Bad girl, mustn't call Mr Severus Daddy!" she scolded. Mimi's eyes filled with tears.

Severus bopped down.

"Did you want to borrow me as a daddy, Mimi?" he asked. Mimi nodded. "Sirri, if you've no objection, why shouldn't she?" he said. "You are effectively family….do you mind?"

Sirri blushed violently. Severus blinked.

"Oh" he said. Sirri hung her head.

"Sirri won't make any trouble" she said.

"Sirri….what a tangle" said Severus. "Not easy to solve….if it can be. You…."

"Sirri is just a house elf" said Sirri.

"No question of 'just'" he said sternly. "But…."

"Sirri understands, Sirri loves Miss Krait to bits!" said Sirri.

"Then get back into speaking properly, Sirri" Krait cut in firmly. "Nobody can help how they feel….but then, nobody has ever been nice to you before, and there might be the element of that in it….let's worry about Mimi's needs most for now, and she needs a daddy. Anything else we can discuss in due course." She hugged Sirri and the tiny elf woman hugged her back, blinking hard.

As well as the three little girls there were only the three babies there, Lilith mobile enough to be in trouble regularly and Salazar eager to follow her; the little elf Sevvy was too small to be a part of their games yet. Grace, Erich and Romulus had gone, with David, to London to stay with the Malfoy twins and get into mischief with Kinat and Ellie too. Bil was with her Muggle grandparents, as had been arranged by Sirius. The little ones were delighted to see Harry as well as Krait and Severus, and Jade and Lydia clamoured to know of his doings since the end of term!

-/-

Krait slipped into her husband's mind.

"_**Poor little thing, she is desperate to be loved"**_ she thought at him.

"_**Yes…my love, there is nobody like you, even if there were not the practical considerations…I want to take her in my arms, but more in the way I would the girls…."**_

"_**But she is an adult with adult emotions….I think it is most important for now for her to see we do love her….to show affection with hugs. She has found that even free house elves still think in a not-free way….the bloodgroup has broken that in her and Beloc, any vestige they may have had; she needs an independent minded lover. It will not be easy to find one for her that is not human…."**_

Severus sighed.

"_**I do not want to hurt her….but I could not give her what we have between us."**_

"_**She wants to be loved….something will turn up"**_

"_**Mrs Micawber…."**_

-/-

Professor Dumbledore was waiting in his office when the trio went up to him. The Pensieve sat ready and several flasks with the milky white memories contained in them.

"Well now, I trust you had a good journey"

"Yes sir" said Harry, who hated side-along apparating. Dumbledore smiled.

"It seemed to me that the time was ripe for leaving the path of firm and solid facts and journeying together through the murky marshes of memory into the thickets of wildest guesswork. There is a possibility that I may be as woefully wrong as Humphrey Belcher who thought the time was ripe for a cheese cauldron."

"With due respect I would personally place more reliance on your wild conjecture than on a signed affidavit and several boxes of proof out of the ministry" said Krait dryly.

"Kind of you to say so, Krait, my dear….the information you obtained from Horace is revealingly suggestive, but not conclusive…."

"We are going to, if I understand it aright" said Krait "Going to look at some memories that will explain more than you have told me in brief of my family background; and give insights into the murky world of my father's developing mind….and maybe see such objects as he would have felt of sufficient significance to make into horcruces."

Dumbledore looked a trifle startled.

"That states the case most succinctly….you have a knack of logical deduction, Krait."

She shrugged.

"The memories must serve a purpose….we need to understand the enemy, it is true, but not necessarily his family, unless there are places or things that become significant…the inference was plain."

"Very good….I take it you and Severus and Harry have discussed this too?"

"A little, Sir…we discussed the possibility of Harry being a horcrux."

Dumbledore's colour drained.

"Surely not…."

"Nagini is more than a snake…and less. She is an extension of Fishface. If an animal can be a horcrux, why not a person? But we think it unlikely for the reason that he would have merely possessed Harry's body, not gone to the trouble of the mandragora homunculus and the rebirth."

"Unless" said Severus "The reason he wanted Harry there by Portkey was a ceremony to take over his body…."

"Then he'd not have been all set for the other form of transformation" said Krait.

"Ah yes…." Severus sighed with relief "He was not expecting us….but he had all the ingredients ready…paranoia."

"You had already come to the conclusion that Nagini was a horcrux then?" Dumbledore asked.

Krait nodded.

"I believe so….for the reasons I stated. I may be wrong. It would be convenient for him….if something once happened to him he'd have her body to use straight away to make a getaway, and less helpless than when Harry knocked him out of Professor thingey."

"Quirrell" several people provided.

"Quirrell, quite so. He had to possess before the renewal, how much easier it would have been then to have transferred to Harry if he'd been a horcrux."

"That is so" said Dumbledore. "I believe that Harry's death when he was a baby was supposed to fulfil the final and sixth horcrux; and that Nagini became a stand in over the killing of the muggle in Little Hangleton two years ago. I might be wrong."

"We need to identify all possible Horcruces and destroy them….if necessary going over the hypothesised six" said Krait. "Only thus can we be totally certain."

Severus nodded.

"Shall we plunge on into the er thickets of conjecture?" he said.

Dumbledore nodded and pulled the stopper from a flask to pour the fluid strings of memory into the Pensieve.

_I don't often reference Dickens because I find him a dickens of a job to read….. David Copperfield, Mr Micawber always expected 'something to turn up'._

_And elves are people too._


	7. Chapter 7

**_coarse language from Krait in this one._**

**Chapter 7: Plunging into the Pensieve**

Their feet left the office floor as they leaned over the pensieve, whirling and falling through blackness as they plunged into the memory of a man Dumbledore said was called Bob Ogden. Then they were in bright sunlight.

The repellent figure that dropped from a tree hissed menacingly at the bizarrely dressed Ogden, trying desperately and unsuccessfully to look like a muggle. Ogden had sought out a decrepit shack in a dark spinney of trees; the house was as unwelcoming as the words of the ragged man from the tree.

_**ssss**__You're not welcome __**ssss**_ he said. Ogden blinked confused, obviously not understanding; he announced himself as being from the ministry of magic. The ragged man repeated himself, brandishing a wand in one hand and a stained knife in the other.

"Parseltongue" said Krait as Harry frowned.

"Oh…yeah. I thought the Ogden chap was just being dim" whispered Harry.

"They can't see or hear us" said Krait. "We're not really here." She thought a moment. "That means, if there's significant stuff in Parseltongue, Professor Dumbledore is Parselmouth too."

Dumbledore just smiled.

The encounter was unpleasant, not to say sordid. Marvolo Gaunt came out of the shack, stopping his son from attacking Ogden; though he was aggressive enough himself. The group nodded with admiration for Ogden when he replied coldly that his blood status was immaterial when Gaunt asked aggressively; and reluctantly Ogden was allowed inside. The dirty ragged girl with lank hair and bad skin had wall eyes like her brother. Krait's eyes filled with tears of pity.

"That's my grandmother, isn't it – Merope?" she asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, child, it is" he said softly. "Easy to see why she wanted to escape, isn't it?"

As Gaunt was now screaming at her for having dropped a pot nervously and picking it up by hand instead of using her wand it most definitely was. Ogden mended it for her while her father was taunting her that she was useless. Ogden attempted to come to the point of his visit, that Morfin had hexed a muggle. Marvolo was not impressed; he thrust forward his hand with the ring the trio recognised, claiming it to be carved with the Peverell arms; and grabbed the locket round Merope's neck shouting that it was Salazar Slytherin's, caring little that he was half throttling the girl. Krait gasped.

"But I've seen that in the flesh!" she said.

"Where?" Dumbledore asked swiftly.

"At Grimmauld Place….it was amongst the junk of dark magics….I think Sirius buried them all somewhere….."

"I find that hard to accept" said Dumbledore. "I have a theory about where Tom Riddle may have hidden it…..but give it into the charge of a boy as young as Regulus Black who defected so soon? I somehow doubt it…"

"I know what I saw" said Krait.

"I think you may be mistaken, my dear" said Dumbledore "Though it will do no harm to find the locket you're thinking of, just in case…."

The Gaunts were now discussing the muggle Tom Riddle who had passed by, Morfin having told his father that his sister desired him. Ogden was forgotten as they hissed together in Parseltongue, Merope terrified. Ogden intervened to save her from her father; but was chased, running for his life, from the house, colliding with the horse the muggle was riding with a muggle girl riding beside him. The young man was very handsome.

"You have some bone structure from him" said Severus critically to Krait. "it enhances the delicacy of the Malfoy…"

They withdrew from the pensieve.

"What happened? He didn't kill Merope did he?" asked Harry.

"No, Ogden returned with reinforcements after Apparating back to the Ministry. Both father and son were sentenced by the wizgamot, Marvolo having injured several ministry employees got six months in Azkaban, Morfin with a record of hurting muggles got three years."

"How…how could a pathetic looking girl like Merope attract the handsome muggle she wanted?" asked Harry.

"She was a witch even though her father called her squib….it was fear of him as much as anything else that made her inept" said Dumbledore.

"Like Neville" said Harry.

"Indeed…." Dumbledore shot an understanding look at Severus who smiled ruefully. "Marvolo returned home expecting to find a dutiful daughter and a hot meal and found only an inch of dust and a note explaining what she had done. He never mentioned her name again; and either the shock or an inability to feed himself led to his early death. He didn't live to see Morfin released. Within a few months of the runaway marriage, Tom Riddle reappeared with a tale of being 'hoodwinked' and 'taken in' – in other words, under an enchantment, though he would not dare say so for fear of being thought insane. Merope probably, poor girl, deluded herself into thinking her husband had learned to love her for her own sake….and stopped giving him the love potion. Our next encounter with her is the memory of one who bought that locket for a paltry sum when she needed to avoid starvation for her unborn son's sake…shall we have a cup of tea before we follow that one?"

-/-

After a cup of tea the group followed the story of Caractacus Burke, delighted to have pulled a fast one on a young witch so desperate for money she would sell a priceless heirloom for ten galleons.

"I hope he's still alive" said Krait. "Cos when I catch up with him he'll wish he wasn't…"  
"Krait!" said Harry, shocked.

"That's my GRAN he diddled!" shouted Krait. "My poor little gran who never had a fair deal in her short unhappy life….he contributed to the making of Volde-fucking-mort by adding to the load of despair of Merope….I want WORDS with him!"

"Quite understandable, my dear, but not necessarily practical" said Dumbledore, patting her hand comfortingly. Krait shot him a Look.

"It's not sensible to compromise the whole plan" said Severus coolly. "If your father hears that you've turned Burke inside out – and Merlin knows he deserves it – he'll wonder why. If he finds out you've been researching your family history he may wonder how you came by that information."

Krait forced her fingers out of the claws. She was crying.

"I feel so helpless…watching her suffer, hearing more about her sufferings…." She said. Severus drew her into his arms and stroked her pale hair.

"It's easy to say that there is nothing you can do for the past….and not easy to deal with" he said. "Dearest love, the best thing to do is to see that when we have killed Fishface we help establish a system of government that protects the poor, helps other people in Merope's situation…."

She nodded.

"You are right, love….I'm sorry. But when Fishface is dead, I'm still going to bounce Mr Burke off a few walls."

"What I don't understand" said Harry "Was why she should have died – I mean, she was a witch!"

"Unrequited love can sap powers…the despair attendant to it takes away the will, and will is important in spell casting" said Dumbledore "But I think it more likely that she just gave up. As we shall see later, she would not even raise her wand to save her own life."

"She wouldn't even stay alive for her son?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"You are surely not feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort?"

"No!" said Harry quickly. "But she had a choice, didn't she, not like my mother…."

"Or my muggle mother" said Krait.

"Lily had a choice too" said Dumbledore gently. "Aurora Day did not, that is true…and Merope Riddle chose death in spite of a son who needed her. But do not judge her too harshly, Harry. She was weakened by long suffering as Krait has said….she never had your mother's courage. Now let us adjourn to rest a while."

Sampling memories in the Pensieve was an exhausting business and they were all glad of a break from it. Krait wanted to spend time with her daughter and half brother and the older girls; and Harry came along cheerfully.

-/-

The next memory was Dumbledore's own, and he was found striding down a London street with long auburn hair and beard in a flamboyant plum coloured suit that drew the gaze of passers by.

"Nice suit sir" said Harry. Dumbledore chuckled.

The visit was to an orphanage, grim in aspect, matroned by a woman who looked as though she tippled, though probably more from anxiety than any other reason, for she did not seem unkind. The children looked well cared for, if boringly clad in grey uniform, but not cowed as Krait was used to.

"Grim place" whispered Harry.

"Believe me, it's relatively jolly" growled Krait.

The matron was worried about chicken pox, and had forgotten Dumbledore had an appointment; but was soon telling him – over a glass of gin – that Tom Riddle was born there of a mother scarce more than a child herself

"Runs in the family" Harry murmured to Krait, who poked him hard.

Tom was not, it seemed a popular boy; though nobody had caught him bullying the children were afraid of him; and two children had gone with him, on the summer outing to the seaside, into a cave; and had never been the same again; though they'd never say anything but that they'd gone exploring. When Dumbledore met Tom he found a truculent boy, handsome like his father, as Merope had confided to Mrs Cole the matron she hoped for, and expecting someone trying to have him shut up. He tried a form of magical coercion in his voice 'Tell the truth!' he said. He was nonplussed that he got nowhere, and went on the defensive, still convinced that Dumbledore was from an insane asylum. When Dumbledore finally got a word in to explain that Hogwarts was a school of magic Tom was alive with interest.

"Magic?" he repeated in a whisper

"That's right" said the young Dumbledore

"It's magic that I can do?"

Dumbledore questioned him as to what he could do; and found that as well as moving things by looking at them his main fields of expertise seemed to be controlling animals and making people hurt.

"I knew I was different" he whispered. "I knew I was special. Always I knew there was something."

Young Dumbledore was watching him intently, no longer smiling.

"Mmph" said Krait "Little creep….Special. That's his whole shit…little people need to feel special, need to force their will on others. Look, he's asking Albus to prove it using his control voice…"

"You asked me to prove it" said Severus.

"Sure…I was trying to piss you off"

"You succeeded" he said dryly.

Dumbledore had responded to the attempt to force him by asking if that was an acceptance of the place, then he would expect to be called 'Professor' or 'sir'; and Tom promptly became polite and respectful, only the hardening of his expression to give away the implicit lie of his manner. Dumbledore drew out his wand, pointed it at the wardrobe and it burst into flames. Harry, who had expected him to refuse, gasped. But there was depth to the spell; while Riddle was contemplating the wand the wardrobe rattled. Dumbledore demanded that he open the door and take out the box that was causing the noise, asking if there was anything in the box the boy ought not to have. Tom admitted it in an expressionless voice.

The box contained an eclectic collection of small objects, a yo-yo, a silver thimble, a mouthorgan among others; the sort of things Krait knew would be prized possessions of orphans with but little in the world. The keeping of them was a means of inflicting a small, mean misery. Dumbledore told the boy he expected the objects to be returned to their owners with apologies; and pointed out that he would know. He explained that thieving was not tolerated at Hogwarts. Tom took it calmly enough, agreeing, but unabashed. He was unmoved by the stern homily about inappropriate use of magic and the fact that the ministry of magic would not tolerate the same. He merely pointed out that he had no money; and when given it demanded directions to where he could be outfitted, saying that he preferred to go alone. There was an adverse reaction to the knowledge that the barman in the Leaky Cauldron was also called Tom – he muttered that he disliked the name because there were so many Toms. He wanted to know if his father was a wizard and was left with instructions and a ticket for the Hogwarts Express, after an almost casual mention of being able to talk to snakes.

They emerged.

"A petty sneak thief….my precious father!" Krait almost spat. "Petty meanness….obsessed with being 'special' to the point of hating to share his name with anyone….oh my, it just shows up so clearly what an inadequate little twerp he is!"

"But a powerful inadequate, er, little twerp" said Dumbledore "And capable of great charm…his greatest mistake was to have revealed his true self to me before attempting to exert it."

"You'd have seen through it anyway" said Krait. "You're nobody's fool, sir"

Dumbledore laughed.

"Well, I believe you are probably right" he said. "Note also he was already a loner; and had a high degree of control over his powers, not using the random experiments common of young wizards, or using his powers" he nodded to Krait "In moments of fear. He was already using it to frighten; there was the strangled rabbit, the two children in the cave…he could make people hurt if he wanted to…."

"And he was a Parselmouth and knew it" said Harry.

"Yes; a rare ability – normally, anyway – and one that is usually connected with the Dark Arts, though we know there are Parselmouths amongst the great and the good too….are all your bloodgroup now Parselmouths?"

_**ssss**__We be of one blood, ye and I __**ssss**_ three voices hissed.

"Ah, Kipling…." Said Dumbledore. "In truth his ability to speak to snakes did not perturb me as much as his instincts for cruelty, secrecy and domination. Also his contempt for anything that tied him to other people – his name for example. He was quick to shed it for that pseudonym we all know and hate"

"Despise" said Krait. "To hate it gives it too much importance. He wants importance; he wants to be hated. I don't feel like obliging."

"Very good, Krait" said Dumbledore. "Let us not give him any satisfaction…I make a point of calling him Tom whenever I see him. He was, you note, already self sufficient and friendless….because he never wanted a friend. He was always a secretive loner. Many Death Eaters boast they are in his confidence; they are deluding themselves. The nearest to affection he has ever shown is to Nagini his snake. I do not even think he reposes any trust or affection in his own daughter."

Krait laughed.

"Not a jot" she agreed. "It pleases him to let me think I am close to him. I think he toys with the idea of trusting me more because he thinks he understands the brand of ambition I portray; but it is because it is not threatening to him yet I share many powers with him; not because I am his daughter. He finds that useful because it amuses him to make the others try to get close to him by creeping to me, and he likes to see me spurn them. He likes to manipulate any way he can and I am a tool."

"You will not then be drawn into the dangerous trap of feeling sorry for him and empathising with him?"

"He did not even remember my mother" said Krait. "He despises the muggle part of his and my heritage. He has cast the cruciatus curse on my Severus. I would empathise with him why?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"His words can be seductive….his promises have caught many a wizard more experienced than you."

"Ask me how much I love him after I cut off his head and piss down his neck" said Krait. "Then you can set me the lines for my language."

Dumbledore laughed outright.

"I don't think your soul is in any danger, my dear….only your vocabulary. But time flies away with us….it is dark. Just remember one more thing – that box of stolen articles taken from his victims; souvenirs of particularly unpleasant bits of magic. Let us bear in mind his magpie-like tendency in light of horcruces."

"Are any of them likely to be…." Asked Harry.

"The mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ….." said Dumbledore cryptically.

"Early games….not enough significance" Krait translated. "Ah!"

"What?" asked Severus sharply.

"Trying to kill Harry killed him….but Wormtail was the secret keeper…something from Godric's Hollow would make a perfect horcrux…." Said Krait.

"And one to follow up" said Dumbledore "But now, I think we should all get our rest, Hmm?"

"Or at least go to bed" said Krait with a sideways glance at Severus.

He stalked out quickly to hide his blushes!

_Dumbledore has his blind spots…._

_Note that Tom Riddle could project a charming front, but has no connection to anyone and no emotion save anger when things do not go his way, that only he is valid in the scheme of things, others irrelevant though he can make people follow him; it's the classic portrait of a clinical psychopath.  
_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Krait finds a few more things to be coarse about_**

**Chapter 8: More Pensieve Perusing**

Krait felt in need of love from her husband and seduced him quite firmly. Her encounters with her father's early life, and more particularly the unfortunate Merope had upset her quite a lot. She lay against Severus, the physical exhaustion of their loving acting as a catharsis for her mental anguish; and buried her face against him. He stroked the silvery cascade of her hair with one hand and held her to him with the other.

"You are strong for me, beloved" she said.

"You are strong for me when I need it….we prop each other up"

"Like bookends…..even if we both sag a little we catch against each other and proceed bent but unbroken" she said.

"I think that's a mixed metaphor….but I know what you mean." He kissed her gently. "He can't break us. He can kill us but he can't break us."

"Let's make sure we get our retaliation in first, hm?" she said, snuggling at him.

"Too damn right!" he agreed forcefully.

-/-

The next day saw new bottles of memories for the Penseive.

"I have few memories of Tom while he was at Hogwarts" said Professor Dumbledore. "Few who knew him are prepared to talk about him; they are too terrified. What I know, I found out after he left Hogwarts, tracing the few who could be tricked or persuaded into speaking, searching old records, questioning muggle and wizard witnesses alike. I found that he was obsessed with his parentage; not unnatural for someone who grew up in an orphanage" he smiled at both Harry and Krait.

"But if you let your curiosity get out of hand it detracts from your own development" said Krait. "We are all who we are; and it's at least partly down to the way we grew up, as in the blood. I'd have been a far less strong person if I'd grown up the pampered pet of an acknowledged Malfoy."

Dumbledore smiled at her.

"But it is a tribute to both you and Harry that you grew up strong and loving despite terrible odds against you in your upbringing. But to continue….once Tom had exhausted his searches for a wizard named Tom Riddle he turned his attentions to the mother he despised for dying. He had one name to go on – 'Marvolo' which his mother had told the orphanage authorities had been her father's name. he tracked down Slytherin's line. In the summer of his sixteenth year he left the orphanage where he returned annually and set off in search of the Gaunts. And it is this memory of Morfin Gaunt that I was amazingly lucky to collect."

The teenage Tom Riddle was instantly recognisable, in the Gaunt hovel, exchanging a long look with the repellent figure of Morfin Gaunt. He had let himself go badly; the hovel was even more filthy and sordid than ever and Morfin himself, surrounded by bottles and slumped in a drunken stupor was unkempt with an untamed beard and hair.

His first reaction to Tom was to try to attack him; but when Tom spoke in Parseltongue, the single word _**ssss **__stop_ _**ssss**_ Morfin skidded to an incredulous halt.

Riddle was obviously disgusted and disappointed, though he showed no fear; Krait could feel Harry's surge of resentful admiration.

"You NEVER show fear in an institution" she murmured. "It gets you bullied."

Harry nodded. He had learned to hide his feelings from the Dursleys eventually.

Tom Riddle asked about Marvolo; and established Morfin's identity and that his grandfather was dead years since. Morfin explained that he thought that Tom was the muggle that his sister had fancied, who lived in the big house. It transpired that Morfin believed that not only had Riddle senior abandoned his sister but had robbed her of Slytherin's locket; Morfin was working himself into a rage; and then an unnatural darkness fell.

The group emerged into the bright morning light of Dumbledore's office blinking.

"My father laid him out?" queried Krait.

"Approximately" said Dumbledore. "He robbed him of his memory from that point on, overlaying others, though he did not awake until the morning, and Marvolo's ring, which he wore, had gone. When the Ministry called on him because the deaths of Tom Riddle senior and his parents at the big house bore the unmistakeable mark of Avada Kedavra he proudly admitted it. He gave details only someone who had been there would have known; and it was his wand that was used…he went to Azkaban without a fight, disturbed only that he had lost his ring, telling his captors 'he'll kill me for losing it'. He lived the remainder of his life in Azkaban lamenting its loss."

"So Voldemort fitted up his own uncle by stealing his wand and using it?" asked Harry.

"Yes…as revenge for the father who never wanted him, and his grandparents for good measure. Even at sixteen he was equal to the complex magic to implant false memories and pocketed the ring, laying Morfin's wand back beside him."

"It's not that complex…" said Krait "I can see how to do it….more complex is the legilimensy that unravelled the true memory there from Morfin. Your work, sir?"

"Indeed….nobody else would bother to delve into Morfin's mind when he had made a full and boastful confession…I secured permission to visit him in the last weeks of his life when I was attempting to discover all I could of Voldemort's past. Naturally, when I realised what I had, I tried to secure an order for Morfin's release but he died before the Ministry had reached a decision."

"But….couldn't they detect him using underage magic?"

"My dear boy, the Ministry can detect the use of magic…not the source. You were blamed for Dobby's hovering charm; and would have been blamed for Severus and Sirius destroying the dementors in Little Whinging had Severus not gone directly to the Ministry to claim responsibility…"

"It's not fair..it wasn't fair what happened to Morfin…"

"Though possibly the only reason he hadn't killed them himself was out of drunken apathy" said Krait, dryly. "I know you disagree, Professor, but I suspect he probably at least half deserved it for intent; and even having been tricked, I'm not sure my grandfather didn't have it coming to him for abandoning his son, even allowing for feeling injured over Merope's actions. HIS parents are a different matter…it shows a lack of finesse on my father's part that he killed in front of witnesses he then had to silence."

"I think he would have killed them anyway" said Dumbledore "To excise the whole family."

"He probably used the cruciatus curse on Tom senior too" said Severus "Morfin believed him to have stolen the locket….Voldemort would have wanted to find out, and probably enjoyed that way of questioning more than legilimensy."

Dumbledore nodded.

"You are probably right" he said. "I thought we would quickly look at Horace's horribly doctored memory just so you recognise what to look for should you come across it again…."

-/-

Horace Slughorn here was much younger than the one Krait had met, with a thatch of shiny straw-coloured hair, though there was a Galleon sized bald patch as an indication of the baldness yet to come; his moustache was less massive and was gingery-blonde. Nor was he as fat. He sat relaxed in his office with a crowd of boys like courtiers sat on lower seats like a travesty, Krait thought, of pictures of the adoration of the shepherds and magi. Riddle, the handsomest boy there, sat relaxed with an arm on Slughorn's chair; and Marvolo's ring upon his finger. He was asking if there was truth in the rumour about the DADA teacher retiring. Slughorn teased him about his information gathering and careful flattery of people who mattered; the other boys gave him admiring looks. Then there was a thick mist and Slughorn's voice unnaturally loud _you'll go wrong, my boy mark my words_ then the fog cleared and Slughorn was dismissing them, reminding them of an essay due. Riddle remained behind and asked the all important question about Horcruces.

There was the mist again and Slughorn's voice denying any knowledge and sending Tom about his business.

They emerged.

"Cheeky old bugger!" said Krait. Dumbledore fixed her with a steely eye.

"Miss Malfoy, pray remember that Horace Slughorn will be your Potions Master in the coming year….you will treat him with due respect."

"I'll treat him with the respect due to his position and what is due to him for his ability at his subject, sir; I don't have to let what I feel show but I'd be a hypocrite, sir, to lie to you about my anger over his obstructive behaviour that could have jeopardised my friends' lives" she said, looking down her nose.

"You are usually tolerant of weakness in others, Krait" said Dumbledore "And I ask you to be tolerant of Horace….I believe he tampered with the memory because he was ashamed of his own recollections, ashamed of having told Tom Riddle what he wanted to know."

"That would tally with my legilimensy when Krait got him to speak" said Severus softly. "Horace is a weak character…I disliked him when I was at school but I believe I am prepared to move on and pity his insecurity."

"Dammit, Lover, if you have to be so revoltingly noble, that puts the onus on me to be as well!" said Krait. "Sure you aren't hiding Gryffindor tendencies up the right sleeve to balance the dark mark on the left?"

Severus laughed.

"What, descent into insults? I suppose that counts as our first lovers' tiff…"

Krait chuckled.

The portrait of Phineas Nigellus sniffed.

"What I don't understand is how that chit managed to get the memory you couldn't, Dumbledore" said the portrait snippily.

"I mixed guilt over Lily's poor baby and a fair bit of threats to his person" said Krait. "Trust a Slytherin ruthlessness you know…"

"Hmm… something in that…you're an insolent girl."

"Why, thank you, Phineas Nigellus" said Krait demurely. "I live but to displease…."

Phineas Nigellus spluttered.

"Behave yourself Krait" said Dumbledore.

Krait sighed.

"If you insist sir….he winds so beautiful though…."

"We will resume after lunch" said Dumbledore. "I trust, Krait, you will not be looking up the old detention records from Phineas Nigellus' time?"

Krait pulled a face.

"You know me too well sir" she said. "Nobody else would have thought of forbidding that….is it hopeless to mention the caning and six hundred lines that Dumbledore, A, got for attaching his head of house's bloomers to a kite rig and attaching it to fly over the castle from the flagpole?"

"Utterly" said Dumbledore, with a reminiscent gleam in his eye. "They were vast things, and filled out beautifully in the wind….it was well worth the punishment…dear me, I've not thought about that for years!"

"Incorrigible depravity!" Phineas Nigellus shouted futilely at them as they left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: the thickets of conjecture**

When they reconvened, Dumbledore said

"This is where we enter the realms of speculation….when you have seen what I have to show you, I trust you will agree with my conclusions, but if you do not, you must tell me so, and we must needs then discuss what other options lie open."

Krait and Harry both nodded.

"I hardly think anyone is likely to come up with more valid speculation than you, Albus" said Severus. "Though it is to be hoped that more than one head may take such speculation further without too much foray into the fantastic."

"We shall see. I am hoping nobody is too tired of dipping into other people's memories, for these two are, I think significant. We have followed Tom Riddle and now we get to his final year. Everyone was deciding what careers to follow; and great things were expected of Tom Riddle, prefect, head boy, winner of the award for Special Services to the school. Plenty of teachers suggested he should join the ministry. But next thing anyone knew he was working at Borgin and Burkes."

"Borgin and Burkes?" Harry was stunned.

"Looking for the locket?" Krait asked.

"You will be able to judge for yourself when we have looked at the next memory" Dumbledore smiled at her. "Though it was not his first choice of job….hardly anyone knew he had applied to Professor Dippet, the headmaster of the time, to remain at Hogwarts as a teacher."

"Stay here? Why?" asked Harry.

"He had several reasons, I suspect….none of which he confided to Professor Dippet" said Dumbledore. "First, he was more attached to the school than anywhere else; it was here he had been happiest, the first and only place he felt at home. That rings a chord with both of you." Harry and Krait both nodded. "Also the castle is an ancient stronghold of magic….Tom Riddle probably uncovered more of its secrets than most, but doubtless felt there was more to find, more stores of magic to tap. Thirdly, as a teacher, he would have power over young people, the chance to mould young minds, doubtless an idea he got from Horace Slughorn, the teacher with whom he was on best terms….. I think he saw it as a useful recruiting ground."

"And he was turned down" said Harry.

"Yes, Professor Dippet said that he was too young at eighteen and invited him to reapply in a few years. I was, myself, deeply uneasy, I did not want to see him in a position of power over others; I advised Armando Dippet not to take him on, though he was convinced of Tom's honesty himself."

"Which job…" Harry began

"DADA I betcha" interrupted Krait. "We saw him asking about the retirement of a teacher…"

"Quite so" said Dumbledore. "But it was not to be….and so many people saw his job as a shop assistant as a waste. But Tom, with his charm, soon had the job of persuading people to part with their treasures…we know the rather esoteric goods Borgin and Burke cover. Which brings us to the memory of a house elf called Hokey who worked for an elderly, rich witch called Hepzibah Smith."

Hokey was obviously contracted only to give compliments; the vanity of the wrinkled old witch, who in Krait's opinion looked about as beautiful and lively as the mummy of Rameses the Great, and her coy greeting of handsome Tom Riddle were almost nauseating. Not, in Krait's view, as nauseating as his flattery and pandering to the old woman's vanity, producing flowers from mid air, and understated flirting. Ostensibly he was there to make an offer for Goblin-made armour but took tea and cakes; and 'Miss Hepzibah' as Tom called her was only too eager to show him her special treasures because she 'knew he was more interested in the history not how many Galleons it was worth'. Hokey brought out two leather boxes….one contained a cup with a badger symbol on that Hepzibah claimed as Helga Hufflepuff's; the other was the familiar Slytherin locket. Hepzibah babbled about how Mr Burke had bought it from a ragged witch who must have stolen it but had no idea of its true value. Riddle betrayed his emotion as his eyes flashed scarlet and his knuckled whitened.

"The eyes….already" said Krait quietly.

Even Hepzibah noticed Tom had changed colour and asked if he were well; she convinced herself at his disclaimer that her eyes had tricked her.

"Time to leave" said Dumbledore. They followed him out. He went on "Hepzibah Smith died two days later. Hokey was convicted of poisoning her evening cocoa by accident."

"No way!" said Harry angrily.

"Ridiculous" said Krait, coldly. "I see the hand of my father."

"I see we are of one mind" said Dumbledore. "Hokey remembered putting something in her mistress' cocoa that turned out not to be sugar, but a lethal and little known poison. It was concluded that she had not intended to kill but was old and confused…"

"Confunded more like" said Krait acidly.

"Yes; and being 'only a house elf' he didn't even bother with as much finesse as he had over Morfin…the Ministry was predisposed to suspect the house elf on the spot, even as it had been to suspect Morfin."

Krait and Harry exchanged a speaking look and Krait sniffed.

"When we have killed my father" she said in a cold, far away voice "We shall be in a position to dictate terms and to insist upon reform in the ministry, greater democracy and more rights for elves and goblins and half-breeds like Hagrid. It is our duty as much as ridding the world of Fishface."

"Hear Hear" said Harry.

Dumbledore smiled.

"And if the 'Chosen One' succeeds he will have the unalloyed support of the entire wizarding world" he said. "Think carefully about what you decide to demand, Harry, because you will almost certainly get it….and if you are careless you may regret it."

"Easy" said Krait "We all discuss what needs to be done, with your help, sir, and have a document ready to present, either Harry as victor or one of the survivors in the memory of – I hope the unlikely instance - Harry-the-martyr."

"Cold-bloodedly pragmatic as always" said Severus as Harry shuddered. "It is your chance to make your mark upon the world, Harry: and I know you'll make a better job of it than many would."

"You mean my father"

"And others….he was in my mind. James might have been capable of winning the war against Voldemort; you, Harry, more introspective, have the more important option of winning the peace. There will be turmoil afterwards, whatever happens, whether we are running and hiding as guerrillas against the victorious Dark Lord or even if we win: the Ministry will look foolish and may try a knee jerk reaction of some kind, either to proclaim you – or condemn you. We must be ready for each, we must be ready to release statements to the Daily Prophet and the Wizarding Wireless before the Ministry can move. They have blocked and baulked Albus and you at every turn; we need not think they will stop because you fulfil your destiny. You were signed up for a longer job than 'kill the monster, retire in glory'."

Harry sighed.

"I feel like whining 'why me'" he said.

Severus grinned and his eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Because your parents started it by defying the dark lord; it's in your blood. Blame James. I usually do."

Harry gave a rueful laugh.

"Sev, I'm so glad you can laugh about it with me now" he said. "Well, let's get on with the job….we've learned where Fishface got two of his trophies to use as Horcruces…one, rightfully his, the other a link to another founder, am I right in thinking such is his reasoning?" he appealed to Dumbledore, who nodded.

"So I believe" he said. "Let us move on ten years and view my memory one winter's evening…"

-/-

Dumbledore was in his office, slightly younger; and waiting. He called permission to enter at the knock; and Harry gasped at the change in Voldemort as he entered. He was no longer handsome Tom Riddle, though he was not the snakelike creature he had since become; his features were waxy, almost burned and blurred, like Severus' horrific scars, yet not scars; and yet not so human even as the ruined side of his mentor's face. The eyes were bloody, though not yet scarlet, nor slit-pupilled.

"What happened to him?" asked Krait.

"Dabbling in dark magics perhaps….some of them extremely dangerous" said Dumbledore. "The decrease in the appearance of humanity I think is more the effect of splitting his soul so many ways…."

Voldemort congratulated Dumbledore on attaining his position as Head; his voice was higher and thinner than it had been of yore. He did not like being greeted as Tom; but Dumbledore was unfailingly good humoured, claiming it to be an irritating habit of old teachers. It was a refusal to let Voldemort dictate terms as well as to use his chosen name; and the atmosphere changed. Voldemort questioned that Dumbledore had wanted to continue in teaching, when he had been offered a post in the ministry three times; and then it came down to the nitty gritty, with Voldemort requesting the job as teacher , suggesting that he could show the pupils things they would learn from no other wizard. Dumbledore showed his disapproval of the rumours he had heard of Tom's activities; and the younger wizard claimed that greatness inspired envy, leading to spite and lies. He was not happy when Dumbledore queried the term 'greatness'. Voldemort spoke of how he had pushed the boundaries of magic; and Dumbledore interrupted him, pointing out it was only some kinds of magic, but that he remained woefully ignorant of others. Voldemort sneered over what was apparently an old argument, saying that he had never seen anything to support Dumbledore's contention that love was more powerful than his kind of magic. Watching, Krait slipped a hand into her husband's and dropped an arm round Harry's shoulders. He squeezed her arm and the modern Dumbledore smiled benignly.

The conversation in the memory turned to the Death Eaters – Voldemort was startled that Dumbledore knew the name – and said that his friends would carry on without him. Dumbledore got in a gentle taunt about believing them to be more servants than friends; and listed the ones in the Hog's Head, knowledge clearly unwelcome to his visitor. Dumbledore pointed out that he was well aware that Tom did not want to teach, and asked his real reason for returning. He did not get it; and after verifying that he would not get a job, Tom flung out in a rage, though for a moment it almost seemed that he would attack Dumbledore.

-/-

"So he was definitely after what treasures he could filch" said Krait. "Hoped to get his hands on Gryffindor's sword too….I wonder if the use of the diary was to be to persuade some would-be hero down there to kill the basilisk taking the sword, which Fishface would retrieve from the dead body at his leisure, working on the principle that the basilisk had a better chance than some schoolboy enthusiast…. Only Lucius jumped the gun rather."

"Such is entirely possible" said Dumbledore. "We have to work on the principle that he has control of some artefact of Ravenclaw's…."

Krait's eyes narrowed.

"If I was only permitted to go shake down Caractacus Burke a little bit he might just have some other memories he'd be willing to impart in order to prevent me getting too exotic…" she said.

"NO Krait" said Dumbledore. "I don't want you progressing down that path…once, when you have no intention of using more than threats may be acceptable; questioning a man you feel is deserving of your vengeance is something else. The line dividing dark and light would start to become blurred for you."

Krait looked mutinous then pulled a rueful face.

"I daresay you're right" she said. "But what about having a legilimens delve a bit further?"

"I don't think he has any more to tell us" said Dumbledore. "I….persuaded…..him to part with the memory we saw, he gloated enough, he'd have been happy to gloat about any other treasure he handled or be aggrieved if such slipped through his fingers. I have some thoughts about where one horcrux may have been hidden; and you believe the locket may have been entrusted to Regulus Black."

"I only know there was a locket like it, though the device was not apparent" said Krait. "Maybe Regulus Black stole it, thinking to use it as ransom for his own life….if it is the locket, though it's alike as can be. Where is the orphanage Tom Riddle grew up in?"

"There was an incendiary bomb that burned it to the ground during the war, in Tom's final year" said Dumbledore. "He had just left for Hogwarts, his final term, when it fell….."

"And I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell" said Krait. "He burned it, regardless of how many might die….I still want to know where it was, and what's there now."

Dumbledore shot her a look.

"Why?"

Krait shrugged.

"It struck me that, tired and scared of life as she was, my little grandmamma might have been equally scared of death…..out there she might linger as a sad little ghost with nowhere to go. I wanted to bring her to Hogwarts where she could be safe."

"My dear girl….sometimes you surprise me with your depth of vision and compassion" said Dumbledore. "I will certainly give you all the directions I can, though I expect the area has changed out of all recognition. She had not returned to the Gaunt home, that I do know."

"Who would?" snorted Krait.

"Something that's been bugging me" said Harry "Why Horcruces? Why not the Philosopher's Stone if he wanted to live forever?"

"He tried to steal it…but only as a short term measure" answered Dumbledore "To solve his immediate and pressing problem of being stuck on the back of Quirrel's head. It was a solution that would get him out of the terrible half-life that killing you had condemned him to. He is a loner, remember, hates to be dependant on anyone or anything…the elixir of life must be taken at regular intervals, and there is always a risk it can become contaminated, degrade, or the stone used to make it could be lost or stolen. So he preferred to place his trust in Horcruces, that he himself had made and concealed – though he trusted one to the care of Lucius I don't believe he made that mistake with any of the others. It is a decision that runs true to type."

Harry nodded.

"What are my chances of delving out of the little tyke's mind where they all are?" asked Krait.

"Low, I fear" said Dumbledore "But you may get clues from slips he makes that could ally to information I gain."

"Meh, better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick" said Krait philosophically. "No more bottles – was that the last memory?"

"Yes, I have nothing more to share with you yet" said Dumbledore "Though I will be following up such tenuous leads as I have…."

"The cave where he tormented the kids" said Krait. "The Gaunt house you checked….The Riddle House where he hangs out now….his hideout in Albania…..the place in Hogsmeade where he recruited Death Eaters….the locket in the Black residence may have been given to Bellatrix to care for; she might be Sirius' cousin but I dare say she was welcome at Grimmauld Place. And she did almost consider herself his consort…we should search again the Chamber of Secrets too; he may have managed to return to Hogwarts when you were away before he became public enemy number one. All kinds of possibilities."

"Quite so…a competent summary" said Dumbledore. "I am interested in the cave, myself…I hope to visit it with Harry and yourself along before too long, once I have verified its position."

"There'll be records" said Krait. "If they went by charabanc, they'd need to hire one….though I'd think train would be most likely, the routes available at the time before Dr Beeching will need checking. They'd not want to drag a gaggle of brats far from the train, too much opportunity to lose a few….the location of a small inexpensive resort with sea caves should be easy enough to run down."

"As I am trying to do" said Dumbledore.

"We appreciate your work sir…thanks" said Krait. "I guess we'd better get Harry back to brief the others and enjoy the remainder of his holiday."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Merope**

The post war building had all but fallen down. The local records office had shown that not one family stayed in that address of the houses built on the site of the old orphanage for more than a few months at a time; some estate agent had scrawled 'reputation for being haunted' in a contemptuous hand in the margin. The building had been bought and gutted as a corner shop, but it never seemed to attract much custom; in the end it had been left to decay and even the local vandals avoided it.

It was a simple spell to negotiate the boards set up to deter casual trespassers; and Krait walked into the rickety and dangerous looking front room. By her calculations this house occupied the position of the old infirmary, where Merope would have given birth and subsequently died. There was a chill to the air noticeable after the warmth – foggy or no – of the summer's day outside.

_**ssss**__Merope? Are you here? Do not be afraid __**ssss **_ Krait called softly in Parseltongue.

She appeared through a wall with the same suddenness Myrtle was inclined to display.

_**ssss**__Who are you? You speak the tongue….__**ssss**_

Krait looked on her with sympathy.

"You are no older than I am now…." She murmured. "Who am I? your granddaughter. You are my little Grandmamma, Merope."

The ragged, gaunt-looking ghost stared at her hungrily.

"He did make good in the end? Settled down with a wife?"

Krait shook her head.

"He seduced and abandoned my mother….ironically she died birthing me in an orphanage…he is evil, Merope, you know that?"

Insubstantial tears ran down the insubstantial face.

"Why?" she moaned. "My Tom….why did he hurt the others? I saw him, I hid from him, my own son…."

Krait used her powers to reach into the insubstantial and put an arm around the sobbing ghost; and Merope cried her heart out. Krait withdrew her numb arm as the sobs quieted, massaging it back to life.

"He has the Gaunt insanity…Grandmamma, he has to be stopped….I and my friends must kill him to stop the insanity, make it safe for your greatgrandchildren…."

"You have children?"

"I have a daughter….and a half brother, your grandson….and my husband and I have adopted children too, orphans and the unloved…"

She gazed hungrily at Krait.

"Your husband hasn't abandoned you then….but you're pretty."

"My back isn't" shrugged Krait. "It's scarred from whippings in the orphanage, but he touches and caresses it as though it were smooth…"

"You are lucky…."

Krait nodded.

"I know…Grandmamma, will you come to Hogwarts and be with the babes? They'll love you, I'm sure…you need never be alone again"

Merope flung herself on Krait for a fierce, cold, insubstantial hug.

-/-

Stan Shunpike consulted the book of rules.

"Ghosts go free!" he declared.

"Good-oh, then I'll have a cup of cocoa" said Krait.

It was a tedious trip. Shunpike's idea of impressing pretty girls was to boast and tell improbable stories of his own knowledge and bravery. He started off talking about all the extra security that was expected to see the children onto the Hogwarts Express; and managed to convey the idea that he knew what the next move of the Death Eaters would be, if anyone cared to ask him. Krait gave him a level look.

"Stan, my lad, if you truly know anything, I suggest you go straight to Professor Dumbledore and tell him" she said. "Otherwise be careful that some Death Eater doesn't take you seriously and decide to kill you as their next victim."

Stan was worried.

For all of about three minutes.

Krait sighed. Some people were just too stupid for their own good. She hoped she'd not soon be reading of the young man's body being discovered under a Dark Mark.

-/-

"This is Severus, my beautiful husband" said Krait, gazing at him adoringly where he sat amidst babies and a selection of noisy toys.

Severus nodded to Merope.

"Glad to meet you….I'm sure you won't stand on ceremony, I'm a little hampered right now…." As Lilith was climbing him that was an understatement.

Merope looked at his scars and back to Krait's look of soft, loving contentment.

"Oooh…that's what real love is" she said dolefully.

"It is" said Krait. "But love is one thing that multiplies when it divides….this is your family, Merope." She had every intention of putting Merope under the managing and loving wing of David's gran, who helped with the children. Gran would help her to settle in no time!

-/-

The trip to Diagon alley showed Krait how tense the Wizarding world was, conversation was stilted and people looked scared, hurrying to do their shopping and get back to the dubious security of their own homes. An amulet seller had a tray of amulets supposedly proof against werewolves, dementors and inferii.

"Protect your pretty neck" the seedy looking wizard selling them leered at Krait.

"Am I correct in thinking that such things are all so much trash?" Krait asked Severus.

"Utterly….now Arthur's heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit defensive spells and Protective Objects I should think he'll be interested….I see the Weasleys down the street, I can only conclude that Arthur is still over scrupulous about being on duty…"

"I have a better idea than prosecution" said Krait, smiling brightly at the vendor. "Like this…." She blew softly towards the amulets; and they all moved gently as they transfigured into brightly coloured butterflies and fluttered away from the breeze of her breath, away from the tray and across the astonished gaze of the vendor.

"'Ere, you can't do that!" he said, injured.

"Looks like I already done it" said Krait with grim satisfaction and no grammar. "You're a con man, ephemeral like those butterflies….if you don't want to join them in the intricate pleasures of sipping honey and being eaten by bluetits I'd hoppit it I were you."

The purveyor of false promises gave her a filthy look and hopped it hurriedly.

-/-

They caught up with the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry outside Flourish and Blotts, and ran into Draco in Madame Malkin's with his mother. She gave them all a suspicious and angry look.

"Narcissa! Just the person I wanted to see!" said Krait, beaming. _**ssss**__Fill in Draco __**ssss**_ she hissed to Harry.

"Augusta…Severus, nice to see you…" Narcissa bestowed a moderately genuine smile on Severus. She refused to use Krait's nickname always, maintaining that Augusta was more ladylike.

"Ah, Narcissa…Draco put on several inches too? Krait's stopped growing I think, but she's all woman…" said Severus. "Must have a new robe…."

"Wear the same ball gown as I wore in summer? Certainly not!" said Krait "At least, not so anybody would notice….I wanted to ask your opinion, Narcissa about whether I can get away with altering the trim and changing the cut to this season's line with an insert…and if you think it would be too daring to play with colour contrast in inserted panels."

"Well, I don't know…" Narcissa considered. "Show me what you mean…."

Krait hastily sketched an illusion in mid air.

"I thought rather than unrelieved black I might play with shot silks, black weft but the shimmer of another dark colour to hint at the movement of the gown….robes are full this season, I thought if I handled it carefully it would be difficult to say what colour the gown was and keep the eye on it that way….or do you think it's over the top? I want to be flamboyant but not a quiz…."

Narcissa frowned.

"I think if you did it subtly it would be rather stunning" she agreed. "You do have a good eye and a flair for dressmaking….I'd lose the trim altogether though if you did that, or stick to something plain like black velvet ribbon or feathers…"

"Meh…I'm too young for feathers, they're for the terminally middle aged" said Krait. "Never see YOU wear feathers Narcissa…"

Narcissa preened a little.

"I do keep my looks well….no I don't like feathers, but they do suit a certain look….you could wear feathers, Augusta, if you wore ivory – not white, it would make you look ill, it always does on Malfoys – with a soft feathery trim that gave the edges of your gown an insubstantial feel…you have that ethereal look that would suit the dying swan feel…"

Krait chuckled.

"Looks apart I'm afraid I'm far too robust a personality to carry that off…you have to have the languid gestures to go with it and the sort of expression too many girls cultivate that is supposed to be soulful and looks instead as though they need a good dose of senna…"

Narcissa laughed.

"Yes, they always used to irritate me too….I'm not the ethereal type either, though I could probably have carried it off….I use my height, you should use how petite you are."

"I always think black emphasises the apparent fragility without making me look coffin-ripe" said Krait.

"Yes, Lucius and Draco look good in black…Draco is having bottle green this year" she gave Draco an anxious glance.

"He'll be fine…" said Krait. "He is not alone…"

Narcissa smiled a rather forced smile.

"I am glad he has you and Severus to help him….why must he talk to the mudblood?" she asked querulously.

"Hermione Granger? She's a friend of Harry Potter…you know how splendidly I get on with Harry and how Draco is a part of my group" said Krait smoothly. "Besides, she's the only person in the world who understands me when I talk high level arithmancy… I refuse to talk down and Draco's not got what it takes with numbers. He goes to sleep at me." she grinned. "I'm glad you approve of what I'm going to do…you are the acknowledged arbiter of fashion in the wizarding world."

Distracted, Narcissa looked pleased. Meanwhile Harry had filled in Draco on what they had seen in the Pensieve and what it meant.

-/-

It was not entirely surprising to find that the Weasley twins had managed to get hold of a market stall as an 'advanced sales point' for their projected shop; they were doing a roaring trade in a fine mix of tricks, jokes, fireworks and an advert that read

"Why are you worrying about You-Know-Who? You SHOULD be worrying about U-NO-POO the constipation sensation that's Gripping the Nation!"

Mrs Weasley was torn between fear for her sons over their audacity, horror at their stall's products and pride that their entrepreneurial acumen had crowds of kids queuing ten deep to buy things. Fred waved.

"Hi kids!" he said cheerfully. "Our shop opens at the beginning of term…we got a manager in while we finish up at school and drive Severus grey with frustration….we just thought this would be a good personal touch."

"They'll be murdered in their beds" moaned Molly weakly.

"Nah, only if Dumbledore lets Argus Fich out with a crossbow" said Krait cheerfully as Harry. Draco and Ron roared with laughter. "No throne so great it can't be rocked by laughter from below….it's not as good as Lord Convolvumort's Wireless broadcasts, but it's good…."

"Oh that is so funny…so little is these days" said Molly. "Whoever is doing that is taking an awful risk…I'd like to shake his hand, only I'd really rather not know who it is…"

Draco grinned to himself.

He did Lord Convolvumort very well and had made three broadcasts over the summer, each more scurrilous than the last. Some of his material had come from Fred and George; though they did not know who had taken their ideas, only that it was a member of the MSHG!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Back to School with a Slug**

Two grim faced, bearded aurors dressed in muggle suits stood at Kings' Cross station to see the students onto the train.

"Hmph, very comforting for new first years, not" said Krait. She was also dressed muggle fashion with a short skirt, Newrocks and spider pattern tights or stockings.

"I dunno" quipped Harry, arriving with the Weasleys "Not as scary as Scales and Padfoot…"

Severus and Sirius would also be travelling on the train for added security and waited nonchalantly on the muggle platform. Harry was plainly in a good mood, sporting his new House Quidditch Captain's badge, which qualified him as a prefect.

"Tights or stockings?" Ginny asked, indicating Krait's legs.

"Ain't saying….that's for Severus to find out later" said Krait grinning wickedly as her husband blushed furiously.

A small boy came running up, and fell over his cauldron with a crash. Severus gave him a sharp look.

"Would your name be Crouch-Jones by any chance?" he asked with resignation.

"Yessir! I say, how did you know, sir?" the small boy gazed worshipfully up at him. Severus gave a grim smile.

"When I was a prefect a boy called Crouch-Jones left his cauldron on the step of the train, into which I placed my foot and tripped up the step, putting my tooth right through my lip….your father, I fancy."

"Er…might be" said the boy, flushing.

"Mr Crouch-Jones, I implore you not to emulate him in his ideas of where it may be appropriate to leave a cauldron" said Severus.

"Nossir! I mean, yessir, I mean.."

"Just hop along through the barrier and get in" said Severus.

"I always wondered how you started that term covered in so much blood" said Sirius. "Yes, lad?"

"Please sir, is this the school train?" the boy was diminutive, almost as small as the Creevey boys had been in their first years.

"This is the place for the Hogwarts express" said Sirius.

"Oh…I'm not sure that's the right train…" said the boy. "Only I saw boys in uniform going through the wall there…"

_**ssss**__Sir, if he can see them, isn't Hogwarts the right place for him?__**ssss**_ David put in in Parseltongue.

_**ssss**__He may be sensitive but not have enough to actually cast the spells….__**ssss**_Severus was the one who replied.

_**ssss**__Isn't it a bit rude to discuss a chap as though he wasn't there? __**ssss**_ the small boy asked indignantly. Several people spun and stared at him.

"You understood what we said?" asked Severus, sharply.

"Yes sir." Said the boy.

"David, get this boy aboard, we'll worry about squaring the school he should be at later, scrounge him some kit if you can" said Severus decisively. "If he can't cast a spell to save his life I'm not losing a Parseltongue."

"Right away, Sir" said David. "Is that another Prince cousin?" he indicated a youth with a distinct look of Severus about him with a raised shoulder and slight limp.

"Find out" said Severus. "Boy….yes, you….go with Mr Fraser here." The lad grinned.

"Ed Dinalt" he said to David. "Not enough hands here to shake, sorry, hi!"

"I'm Crispin D'Aubrey" said the Parselmouth. "Your first year?" they went through the barrier exchanging life stories.

The Malfoy twins arrived with two protégés in tow; a girl called Hayley Betts who had seen Kinat and Ellie for what they were when the youngsters were visiting Hawke's old street gang; it seemed that her name had been scratched off the book and, Abrax explained, Madam McGonagall was investigating. The other was a boy called Victor who clicked his heels in a very German way, and Abrax lapsed into Parseltongue to explain that he could not go to Durmstrang because his mother was a muggle, the Princess of a tiny Eastern European country called Belsornia and his father wanted him somewhere safe because there had been threats from ODESSA.

"As if there wasn't enough going on" groaned Severus.

"It's all right, sir, his father has Malfoy connections, so we can claim him a cousin…he's not stuck up" Abrax explained confidentially. "His house elf bodyguard has ideas about the way he ought to be treated with consequence but he's forbidden him to mention it. Victor's okay, sir, honest."

"Yes, but that's the view of a New Marauder" said Severus dryly.

"I look forward to seeing how he settles in!" said Sirius brightly.

"Don't encourage them, Padfoot, they're bad enough without semi official sanction"

Abrax and Hawke grinned almost identical grins.

"Oh sir!" they said in identically hurt tones.

"Don't worry sir, we won't let you CATCH us at any mischief" said Kinat.

"You don't really mind, do you dad?" asked Romulus.

"Why me?" Severus asked the sky.

-/-

Draco turned up, bright eyed; Harry wasn't the only person celebrating, Draco had been made Head of House Slytherin. Though the pressures of what Voldemort had demanded showed in the slight strain on his face, his belief in his friends to make all right allowed him to indulge his delight scarcely alloyed by the thought of potential problems.

Krait grinned at him.

"Well! You get out of the prefects' meeting then, while we wait to vote on which house head is head boy or girl of the school…can't be that usual for a lower sixth to be made up to house head…"

Draco was grinning cheerfully.

"Nope….but then, the opposition in the upper Sixth isn't exactly taxing… excepting you, but you've a lot more on your plate, I guess Dumbledore's wanting to spare you…"

"Nah, that's God's own truth….both about the opposition and how much I have on my plate….I want to put it to the other prefects that it would be nice to institute one of the Beauxbatons customs, do you remember how they rose when the head came in?"

Draco nodded.

"A lot of people sniggered….but it kind of shows respect, doesn't it…."

"I was talking to Finch-Fletchly, he visited Eton before going there, only he came to us instead….they rise every time a master comes into the room, and they are supposed to have top manners there….you know I like courtesy…"

Draco chuckled.

"Yeah, I suspect you'd say 'excuse me' before you killed someone…I'll talk to the other House Heads while you lot are voting."

"Good egg. If I can swing it we can spread it amongst the train via the MSHG."

-/-

Krait was doing her rounds as a prefect after the voting – she had canvassed for Draco, naturally - when she caught Ginny casting a bat bogey hex on a boy. Krait put her head round the door.

"Y'know I'm going to have to give you lines for illegal wand use?" she said. The rotund figure of Horace Slughorn wheezed up beside her.

"It was a beautiful hex….surely you can let her off on the first day, Miss, er…"

"I live under the sign of Malfoy" said Krait. "And if I used the principle of letting people off for it being the first day, my cousins Abrax and Hawke and their nefarious friends would interpret that so liberally I dread to think of the state of the train when we reached Hogwarts! They are determined to outdo the misdeeds of the Marauders, you know, and I shudder to think of the mess…."

"Well….don't be too hard on her, hmm? Because I ask nicely?" he treated her to one of his charming smiles.

"A prefect is bound to take the orders of a member of staff where they countermand their own, even as it is custom for the staff to back up prefects in public even if they bawl them out in private" said Krait in a deceptively docile voice.

"Good heavens, not countermanding anything….just asking a little favour! And Miss…"

"Weasley" supplied Ginny

"Miss Weasley, perhaps you will have the goodness to join me for a bite later….I'll send out a formal invitation of course, and to Miss Malfoy as well….neither of us bears any grudges, I'm sure?" he beamed at Krait.

She regarded him thoughtfully. Tolerant, she thought, Albus wants you to be tolerant. She smiled politely.

"I'm sure we can make a fresh start sir, if you are generous enough to offer that" she said. "Ginny, you can research a counter to that hex as your detention, it'll be good practise for you."

Ginny grinned.

"That should be quite interesting" she said. "Krait always gives creative punishments, sir, and always fair. Even the woodlice would agree."

Slughorn blinked.

"Woodlice?" he asked blankly.

"I had occasion to reprimand a couple of boys who were quarrelling over race issues…I turned them into woodlice, giant woodlice of course, and leaving their minds quite intact, to ponder over the error of their ways" said Krait.

"Minds intact? That's extraordinary! But it used to be a forbidden punishment…"

"They didn't complain….I guess they thought I could have come up with worse. I probably could too" she added meditatively. "The potions dungeon drain often gets blocked….a little ridicule versus smelling for a week….no contest I guess."

"I'll say" said Ginny "Give me the four foot floating woodlouse treatment any time over that….especially as Myrtle would be bound to shoot out of the drain to gloat."

"Well….I'll see you both later" said Slughorn, wheezing his way down the corridor.

-/-

Harry and Neville both got invitations from Slughorn, and Draco. The four of them marched to Compartment C in perfect step and came to a smart halt.

There were other invitees ahead of them in Compartment C; Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin boy in Harry's year whom Krait cordially detested for his assumption before her name change to Malfoy that she would consider his advances flattering; Cormac McLaggan, a Gryffindor in some of Krait's NEWT classes; and Marcus Belby, a thin nervous looking boy from Ravenclaw, also sharing classes with Krait. She nodded to him cheerfully and ignored McLaggen whom she had described to Hermione as Neanderthal. Slughorn made introductions all round.

"We're two short" said Krait.

"I'm sorry?" Slughorn stared.

"Harry's bodyguard…I don't see Ron Weasley here, nor Hermione Granger. They've been his friends forever, since he started Hogwarts…." Krait's eyes narrowed. "we all do everything together, you know….Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and me…." she looked at him. "We're arithmantically correct too you'll find…."

He gave a thin smile.

"Er, yes….quite. Perhaps I shall get to know them later….too many at one time can be a crowd…."

"Granger's only a mudblood anyway, sir" said Zabini ingratiatingly.

Slughorn's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Birth status is immaterial" he said.

"She's the cleverest witch in the year" blurted Harry.

"Did you WANT me to break your nose again Zabini?" said Krait, dangerously. "Sir, I don't think we'd care to stay in the company of Zabini, he's a creep and as sex crazed as his much married mother."

Zabini whipped out his wand and pointed it at Krait. She smiled gently, arms crossed, as hex after hex poured out of it, wordlessly and wandlessly holding her protection charm in place. Zabini was getting hot and bothered. When he finally tried the entrail expelling curse – Krait had to concentrate a little harder to deflect that without changing expression – she narrowed her eyes and flicked a glance at his wand. It flew up the carriage. With another glance, Zabini followed it, landing in a heap in the corner.

"Merlin's beard!" gasped Slughorn "I do believe you are more powerful than your father…."

"It's to be hoped so" said Krait. "Get out, Zabini. I don't want to see your smug face for the rest of the journey or I'll let Ginny loose on you…and she has a mean way with the bat bogey hex." She looked at Slughorn. "I beg your pardon sir – he's your guest. Perhaps you'd rather we went and he stayed."

"Well…I'm sorry Blaise can't display civilised manners…" said Slughorn, looking at Harry and making a quick decision. "He'd do better to go and calm down…."

Zabini went off muttering, casting darkling looks at Krait.

"Tell me, er, Krait, how did you come to break his nose?"

Krait shrugged.

"He tried to touch me up before it transpired that I had a family to back me….so I nutted him with a good old fashioned Glaswegian Kiss" she demonstrated the move. "Did the same thing to McLaggen once, but that was only interhouse politics, nothing personal, so I only bloodied him a little."

"Not your wand?" Slughorn was surprised.

"Sir!" Krait was all outraged innocence. "You know it's forbidden in corridors!" she shrugged. "Besides, I feel more comfortable enacting violence physically than by wand, somehow it seems sullying to do anything violent by wand….."

"Giving people pig's tails and noses or asses ears not counting of course" grinned Harry.

"You slit my nostrils on the first day!" said Draco.

"Yeah, and I felt so bad about it…..I guess I just have a weird outlook" said Krait.

Harry and Draco exchanged a glance.

"Yeah!" they both agreed.

Krait shrugged.

"I'll use such spells as I have to for real danger…..I'm not an idiot. I just have my preferences."

"Very commendable, my dear" said Slughorn. "Now we've settled down…." He questioned Belby about his uncle Damocles, inventor of the Wolfsbane potion; and lost interest in the boy when it transpired he scarcely knew his uncle because his father did not get on with him; Krait made an effort to drag the boy into the conversation however, partly because she liked him and partly out of gentle malice towards Slughorn's snobbery. McLaggan's chief claim to fame seemed to be the possession of an Uncle Tiberius who was a previous favourite of Slughorn, who had taken him Nogtail hunting with, among other people, Rufus Scrimgeor before he had become Prime Minister.

"Never mind, McLaggan, I'm sure you'll live it down" said Krait, kindly. "After all, we all have our embarrassing acquaintances….Ginny's brother Percy is an official creep at the Ministry too."

Slughorn laughed.

"One might almost think you disapproved of the Ministry my dear" he said.

She regarded him thoughtfully.

"Oh I do" she said quietly. "I'm of Albus Dumbledore's opinion…that they are all more concerned with how they look than of doing the right thing, busy playing the nepotism game and avoiding the real issues. They talk 'Chosen One' now but only because everything is out in public and there are dementors on the loose…maybe this Prime Minister will show better than Fudge, and after all he can scarcely be worse; but what I've seen is things done for show rather than real protection, real defensive measures. It's all illusion and bella figura and through all that, Harry stands in harm's way because of the prophesy and I betcha there's somebody in the Ministry who's hoping to use him as a Judas Goat to sucker Fishface and his Dirt Suckers in…." she was flushed with anger.

"But Harry has extraordinary powers…I remember that _Terrible _ night – Lily – James – but Harry, you survived." Slughorn said.

"I survived because my mother sacrificed herself and gave me blood magic protection" said Harry too loudly.

"He survived. We'd like to keep it that way" said Draco. "But when all's said and done we're only schoolkids….has anyone in the Ministry tried to find out how Fishface survived his body's death? No. Has anyone in the Ministry tried to find out how he recruited his Death Eaters and how he controls them? No. Has anybody but Harry faced, fought and defied him? No. Can you wonder none of us have a deal of respect for the Ministry, even those of us who hope to become aurors? It's an office which is famous for its integrity, but with the head of the office doing too little too late now he's in charge I for one begin to wonder….I suppose one can only ever do one's own job to the best of one's ability…."

"I don't believe there's ever been a Malfoy Auror" said Slughorn. "Or many Slytherin who go for what is after all a dangerous and thankless task."

"Somebody has to" said Draco. "Somebody has to overcome fear so others need never feel it…."

"I intend to be an auror too" said Harry. "I think you have to enter the job with ideals and assume any who betray those ideals are just blips, out of the ordinary…."

"Neville, your parents were aurors, the best….would you advise your friends to go ahead?"

Neville flushed.

"Yes sir I would" he said. "I don't know if I can get the grades myself, though I intend to try…the next best thing would be to support my friends who are cleverer than me. I'm PROUD of my parents!"

"Quite rightly too….you must be worried, I hear rumours that they have disappeared from St Mungo's…."

"They gave their sanity to try to stop Fishface" said Neville, flushed with the effort not to lie too much "I guess if the Death Eaters decided to finish the job and kill them it might be a welcome release for them….much the Ministry cares."

Slughorn swept a glance around the present blood group members.

"I look forward to meeting your two friends" he said, seriously. "I rather suspect that you are an insanely brave group…."

"We do what we have to do" said Krait.

He nodded.

"I can see you're all taking it extremely seriously…."

"Yes sir" said Harry.

"Your help was vital" said Krait. "We know what and how much we need to find…."

He swallowed.

"Well….I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will know what to do…." He said. "Good gracious, is that the castle in view already? You'd better change into your robes…"

-/-

Marcus Belby fell into step with Krait.

"I didn't follow even half of that" he complained.

"You don't really want to, Marcus" said Krait.

"Harry's going up against Fishface, isn't he? And you're going to help" said Marcus.

"He has little choice….because Fishface has spent Harry's entire life trying to kill him….he didn't get that scar falling out of his tripper whilst drunk on gripe water" said Krait. Belby flushed.

"I know that….you are insane, you know, you could stay well out, you're not even in Potter's House…"

"I have my own, very good reasons….which I'm not prepared to discuss, Marcus. If you want to help, join the MSHG. Otherwise don't ask questions. End of conversation." Said Krait.

-/-/-/-/-

_The Belsornia reference is partly a tribute to Elinor M Brent-Dyer and partly because it ties in with something I shall be using in 7 books' time. Bear with me; some of the stuff I throw in now that seems irrelevant comes back later. And some of the ideas did not actually get as fully developed as I intended. Crispin has a reason for his Parseltongue and so do his cousins when they arrive in the story._

_Well you didn't expect all of Salazar's descendants to be well behaved around the muggle wenches in the local villages, did you?_

_This was the first year in which I worked out all the kids in the year in every house; not that I necessarily planned to use them all but they were there if I needed them. I have a big file with brief notes about all of them; and the secret is for those kids who are initially peripheral, to cheat. I have four tables of personality traits, 100 traits to each house, in a 10x10 grid and I use two ten sided dice. Giving 2-3 characteristics to each kid produces a round enough character for 'extras' and if anything interesting comes up it can always be developed. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Courtesy of the Half Blood Prince**

Severus grabbed the group and Ron and Hermione.

"Join me in a carriage" he said. "Not you, Ginny."

Ginny pouted.

"Why not?"

"You're not doing NEWTS. I'll see YOU next year."

"Oh. All right!" Ginny brightened.

Severus held up his own copy of 'Advanced Potion Making' when they got into one of the Thestral drawn carriages.

"I amended some potions….this isn't just about getting good results, it's about being as good as you can be to help Harry. Krait has copied most things out fair, Draco can use that if you Gryffindors share this and copy what you want into your own text books….there are spells in there as well, some of them aren't very nice….I wasn't a very nice little boy."

"Nobody ever gave you a chance to be, sir" said Harry.

"Isn't it cheating?" asked Hermione.

"And using the potions somebody else has worked out is not?" asked Severus. "You are already using somebody else's hard work in the standard potions….I just improved on a few. If you want to experiment and come up with your own improvements I'll be delighted with your industry….and if you bother to tell him, so will Professor Slughorn. I never told him my innovations" he added. "I was afraid he might market them as his own…."

"Just passing them on to someone who'd make money from the improvement as a little favour no doubt" said Krait. "He's not deliberately dishonest, I don't think it would occur to him that it was stealing…."

"Isn't it dishonest for us…" Hermione tried again.

"I make you a free gift of my improvements" said Severus harshly. "One day maybe I may write them up in a new text book that may become standard; I never got around to it. Some I have had published in 'Transactions of the Learned Society of Potioneers' though they have not seeped down to school level yet. But I think it important."

Harry nodded.

"It sounds exciting" he said. "'This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince'" he read on the spine "Is that you, sir? Being related to Bil…."

Severus gave a short mirthless laugh.

"Yes….my mother's wizarding blood; I was an over-imaginative boy, it pleased my sense of the dramatic…"

Harry touched him on the arm and smiled.

"I used to make up stories about my parents because the Dursleys never told me anything about them… it's the same thing I guess."

"Yes Harry, it is….here we are. Don't try any of the spells you're not clear about the effects of without asking me." he warned. "Some can cause a deal of harm….Sectumsempra for example opens the body with great slashes, I'm holding THAT in reserve for his Fishyness…See you first thing for the MSHG run." He nodded and was gone, striding up to the castle.

-/-

The entire school rose when Dumbledore and the other staff came into the Great Hall; to the evident surprise of the old wizard. However he beamed a smile of genuine pleasure around all the school.

"Thank you" he said. "Please be seated, and let us proceed with the Hatting Ceremony!"

The Hat sang its usual sort of song.

_"Welcome to the children new _

_who come to education_

_ And for the best in life for you_

_we work with dedication_

_ As from the distant days of yore_

_To make this mighty goal_

_ There came together good friends four_

_ To build this mighty school"_

"That rhyme was a bit forced" said Krait critically

"Nothing new there" said Draco.

The hat continued its song blithely ignoring any interruption.

"_Slytherin from fenny marsh _

_ chose children of ambition_

_ his methods often seemed quite harsh_

_ to push for high position_

_ Gryffindor chose valour true_

_ To be his greatest trait_

_ The heroes that would bravely do_

_ Regardless of their fate"_

"You couldn't really say boneheaded a lot more tactfully really" said Hawke, to Bil, winking at Abrax on the Gryffindor table. Abrax stuck out his tongue; he had a shrewd idea what his twin had said.

_"Rowena Ravenclaw spoke now_

_ I value intellect_

_ And so the clever ones I trow_

_ Are mine for to collect._

_ And Helga Hufflepuff spoke well_

_ The rest are mine to cherish_

_ For hard work's virtue; this I'll tell_

_ Their dreams shall not then perish._

_ And though the dreams of these four may_

_ Be different in detail_

_ Friends yet they were upon that day_

_ And enemies did quail._

_ Whichever house you should be in_

_ Remember all its strengths_

_ Against its weaknesses strive and win_

_ Extend your world by lengths."_

"We were actually, old thing" murmured Draco. "Only we managed it without the advice of a piece of superannuated headgear."

"I rather like the old thing actually" said Krait, mildly.

-/-

After the Hatting ceremony – in which Crispin was clearly accepted by the hat and put unexpectedly into Gryffindor, along with Prince Victor – Dumbledore reminded everyone of this year's list of banned items from Mr Filch and pointed out that there would be Quidditch tryouts. The head announced that the result of the prefect vote had brought in the youngest Head Boy ever, in the person of Draco Malfoy – Dumbledore paused as Slytherin raised the roof, and a goodly proportion of Gryffindors cheered quite genuinely too – and the head mentioned how pleased he had been with Draco's personal development and went on to say that he felt that it was a worthy choice and that he felt sure that Draco would live up to the challenge. Draco flushed scarlet, hardly able to believe it.

"Excellent!" said Krait. "I couldn't have picked a better Head Boy save perhaps Harry…but he's got other things to do."

"You did pick him, you Malfoy ratbag!" called across a Hufflepuff prefect. "You talked half of us into voting for him!"

Krait grinned unrepentantly.

Once the noise had died down, Dumbledore introduced Professor Slughorn, who rose, his bald head gleaming and his great waistcoated belly casting a deep shadow. The headmaster explained that Professor Snape would be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Severus did not rise, just raised a hand in lazy acknowledgement of the applause from the Slytherin table and assorted Muggle Studies stalwarts. The whispered "Padfoot? Has the curse got Padfoot?" went around. Dumbledore went on,

"Last year's teacher, Professor Black has asked if I will let him introduce a new field of study – Geomancy. I shall let him introduce it."

Sirius rose from a place in the shadows to sighs of relief and enthusiastic applause.

"Nice to be wanted" he grinned. "Geomancy is the study of place – and non-place. It is the study required to utilise to their full effect the ley lines that criss-cross all areas where people and especially the magically active have lived for any length of time; the study of what to do to make a place unplottable; and how to create Wizarding space. Generally small portions of the subject have hitherto been passed down as part of the in-work training in a variety of jobs to those witches and wizards who have already left Hogwarts. I believe it warrants a class of its own, and I have been putting together a syllabus. We are petitioning the Ministry to introduce an OWL paper in due course. I will be teaching the first year, plus an all age optional class on Saturday afternoons for older students who are interested; second to fourth years interested in the extra work load should hopefully be able to take it as an elective if we can get it cleared as an OWL."

"Oh yes!" David Fraser breathed happily.

"You'll find the ley lines by sniffing them I dare say" Erich teased him. David grinned.

"It's something like that…Padfoot's taken me on the odd trip, he says I have a good feel for it. It – it runs in families; Padfoot and I traced back my family tree to a scion of the Black line who was expunged from the tree before the statute of secrecy. That'll be perhaps too where being an animagus comes from."

David had been overjoyed to discover that he was – however distantly – related to Sirius, with whom he associated so strongly. Though he was quite happy with his status as muggleborn it was also very nice to have roots within the wonderful world he now inhabited. He did not intend to share it with any but those to whom he was closest however; there would be those who would try to make an issue of him being a descendant of the noble family Black and David felt more muggleborn than the scion of a pureblood family. It was a matter of principle. Sirius was a spare uncle; as Severus was the next best thing to a father.

Dumbledore waited for the chatter to die down over the new appointments; and reminded them that Voldemort was at large, reassured everyone that the defences had been strengthened, and adjured them all to take care and not to take foolish risks.

He was probably wasting his breath where some were concerned, especially the innocent looking New Marauders.

-/-

Hagrid greeted his old friends, most of whom were embarrassed by not being prepared to carry on with Care of Magical Beasts, and not having the heart to tell him. He cheerfully imparted the news that Dumbledore had arranged a nice comfortable cave for Grawp, his half brother.

"That's going to suit him better than the forest" said Krait. "Hagrid, can I fit in lessons with you a bit anyhow? I want to do two years work in one if I can, I read through the text book, because I'm doing the same with Charms and Herbology in the hopes of finishing at the right age….at least I'm well ahead with Transfigurations, Potions, DADA and Arithmancy."

"Seven NEWTS? Ain't that a little more than what you need?" asked Hagrid.

"I need five if I decide to go for Auror training…and I want to do Herbology and Care of Magical Animals out of personal interest" said Krait.

"Well…I expect we can fit in quite a lot" said Hagrid cheerfully. "I'm not expectin' a large class, y'know."

Ron and Harry exchanged uncomfortable looks. They thought Krait would probably have the class to herself; and that she was welcome to it. Krait wanted to study magical creatures partly as an adjunct to potioneering; and partly to help her transfigurations, and hoped fervently that Hagrid would not get too enthusiastically exotic. At least if she was the only one in the class she could get him talking over cups of tea and learn a lot that way; probably – if it were out of normal school hours – with David along too, for the boy had taken a real liking to Hagrid and had taken to helping him out with odd jobs at weekends and during the holidays.

-/-/-/-

The first thing in the morning involved a discussion with the head of house over whether each pupil had grades good enough for their chosen NEWTS; and Krait was summoned to see Madam McGonagall after finishing her own sorting out. Krait's grades were more than acceptable for her chosen subjects and she had already been studying NEWTs in any case.

Krait entered Madam McGonagall's office to find her alone with Neville.

"Krait, my dear…" said McGonagall. "Neville wants to try for an auror…he has four grades at levels high enough to be accepted by the requisite teachers, as Professor Slughorn's expectations are not so stringent as Professor Snape's; but he only got a high 'Acceptable' for Transfiguration…I usually ask for an 'Exceeds Expectation' and I am concerned about him keeping up with the class work…he tells me you said you would put in extra hours coaching him. You already have so much on your plate, with the babies and trying to cover two years in one with some subjects…."

"Charms is the only one I need at high grade, the others I really need I've done a year of already" said Krait. "And intensive charms is one of the things the MSHG does practice….the physical labour of caring for babies is mostly done by Mimette and Sirri, bless them, freeing me to just enjoy them…and I really like not having time to think and fear….I think Neville will keep up anyway because of two things. One is knowing that his parents are well…"

"THAT's why you were so keen to learn to transfigure into unicorn then…." Said McGonagall.

"That's right, Minerva…I had to try. Severus is a brilliant potioneer, and it worked" she said. "Also there is the unique link we share….did Albus tell you about it?"

Minerva nodded.

"I wasn't sure I approved…."

"It's proved itself by what it can do already…like you, he and Sirius were in the Department of Mysteries instead of Harry, which I wager he would have been without the link, the occlumency and the team…."

"Weell…maybe" she conceded, her accent thickening. "And if the link does not help…are you prepared to go over his coursework with him?"

Krait nodded.

"If nothing else it would be good revision for me" she said "And a reminder how to do it by the book instead of by my own methods you deplore so much… I'm already teaching part time with any remedial potions work Severus needs me for. It'll be an interesting challenge to be Neville's coach as well."

"Ye break every rule in the book and for you it works" said Minerva. "Wee pest that ye are…"

Krait grinned.

"You wait until you're teaching Lilith…."

Minerva shuddered.

"I believe I may just retire by then" she said, smiling to belie her words. "Weell then, Neville, we'll give it a go; but if ye cannae keep up, ye'll have to drop it, do you understand?"

Neville nodded.

"THANK you Madam McGonagall!" he said. Krait had brought on several juniors that Severus had despaired of the year before as well as having helped him out with HIS potions to the extent that he was now just about an 'E' average student; and he had no doubt that she would soon have him equal to similar grades in Transfiguration!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: A Quidditch Challenge and a few Frictions**

The Blood Group convened earlier than the rest of the MSHG as a result of a Blood summons from Krait; and if some of the younger ones and the older boys were a trifle sulky about it, Krait pretended not to notice.

"We were second guessing what Fishface would use as Horcruces" she said crisply, her eyes gleaming with excitement "And I had an idea, that I've been expanding on, and thinking of how to find it – which is what I wanted to discuss."

"Couldn't it have waited until the morning?" yawned Ron.

"It IS the morning" said Krait severely. "Listen! He meant to make a Horcrux with Harry's death – and got forestalled. But he could use Lily and James' murder as one of the soul splits, and then how ironic if he used something of theirs to put that part in…I think he'd see it as a subtle attack on Harry. I mooted the idea to Dumbledore when we were searching memories, he said it was something to look into…."

"It's extremely plausible" said Severus. "Something personal Harry would never even consider destroying…."

Krait nodded.

"A locket of his mother's….a ring of his father's….I bet he sent Wormtail to England when he was in Albania to get something like that….and if he runs true to form, put it back in Godric's Hollow to hide it by obviousness, laughing to think that if Harry ever goes there he'd be cherishing something that could be a part of his downfall. Wormtail was the secret keeper, remember, like I said….and so Wormtail is the key, he knows what and where, because Fishface had to act through him…."

"It fits what I know of Fishface" said Harry. "But how do we find out what it is? Wormtail is in Azhkaban, he was one of the ones caught at the ministry…."

Krait shrugged.

"Our DADA teacher arranges a field trip to Azkaban….and I slip off in one of the invisibility cloaks and turn Wormtail's mind inside out for him" she said.

Severus choked.

"Arrange….just like that?"

"Why not? As an awful warning about people who turn to the Dark Side of the Force….it has your pessimistic and warped touch, my dear."

"I suppose…..very well, I'll see what I can do, but I'm only taking MSHG people, the others couldn't cope." He said.

Krait nodded.

"Wise. Besides, they'll back our story better. Is this David's friend?"

The big military looking man who strode out of the castle was greeted cheerfully by David Fraser and introduced; Colonel Anastasius Smith, squib, late of the Grenadier Guards and sometime of the SAS felt his duty lay clearly in the training of the MSHG rather than with the British Army.

The MSHG when he had put them through their paces were divided in their opinion over whether he was the best trainer they could ever have or whether he should return from whence he came pursued by abuse.

-/-

Krait heard all about how her friends were getting on at lunch time; after overhearing Abrax Malfoy informing his friends at the top of his young lungs

"Hey, I thought Padfoot was the works at DADA but I gotta say, Scales ROCKS!"

Krait grinned to herself. She knew that Severus had planned on introducing each class with his description of the 'ever changing, mutable, many headed monster' of Dark Arts and evidently it had gone down well with the second years. Harry and friends looked smug.

"Potions go okay?" Krait asked. "Is he any good?"

"Strictly speaking he didn't teach anything" said Hermione "He opened up with testing us over what certain potions were…"

"Which Hermione had her hand up over for all of" said Neville "Not that that's a big surprise, so the rest of us lounged around and let her do the hard work…."

"And then he set a competition" said Draco "To brew the draught of living death out of our books….and it's one the Half-blood Prince modified….. I never saw such an expression of wonder on anyone's face before, he's convinced Severus has trained us beyond any reasonable expectation and turned out a bunch of geniuses…."

"Even mine kind of worked" said Ron.

"Of course, he's right" said Harry "It IS down to Severus' training…he gave us the better instructions…"

"The joke is he offered a phial of Felix Felicis to the winner…" grinned Draco "And is he sour because he had to put up more than one…."

"Liquid luck's expensive to brew" said Krait "And tricky….you have to be moderately talented to make it. I guess that's how he pays for some of his luxuries….you dented his profit margin. Well done! How many got it perfect?"

"Hermione, Draco and me" said Harry. "Ron got it kind of right and judging by his comments, Neville's would have been expected to be the winner in most classes…Draco's right, his face was a study, it'll be sweet revenge for Scales to have his teaching so vindicated after not being one of the Slug's pretty favourites…."

Krait laughed.

"And you have Severus back next year for your NEWTS so Slughorn can't steal his thunder by claiming to have discovered you all" she said contentedly. "We'll have plenty of Felix Felicis for the Big Day when we confront Fishface though."

"It awfully complex" said Hermione "I looked it up….it takes six months to brew and there are loads of stages…"

"Tell me news not history!" groaned Krait. "Severus and I set some up about two months ago…we've been working at it all over the holidays between other stuff. We needed enough for the whole MSHG; so I talked the cost of the ingredients out of Lucius."

"THAT's what dad meant muttering that he hoped it was a worthwhile investment….he ought to trust Severus, even if he doesn't realise how good you are" said Draco. "That eases my mind…."

Krait smiled at him.

"Yeah…as it will be up to you to bring him where and when we want him" she said. "Knowing who Convolvumort is is going to make him hit the ground running without engaging brain….I hope."

"And how!" Agreed Draco.

-/-

Krait was having a top of the lungs conversation with Hermione across the Hall next morning at breakfast asking if Hermione had done any Arithmancy revision exercises at the back of the book and asking if she agreed that there was a mistake on example fifty two.

"Undoubtedly!" yelled Hermione "I worked it four times…. Same answer."

"Seven days, twenty three hours and fourteen minutes?" yelled Krait.

"Yes!"

"I'll have to tell Professor Vector!"

The Arithmancy teacher's voice carried magically to both girls

"She just heard you"

Krait turned and grinned unrepentantly.

Dumbledore murmured to Severus

"We used to separate Slytherin and Gryffindor for very good reason…..for the sake of my eardrums, I wonder if we should rearrange the tables…"

"Bearing in mind the food fight the Malfoy twins are orchestrating from each end with malice aforethought to involve Ravenclaw with Hufflepuff I'm inclined to agree" said Severus dryly. "Using crumpets like Frisbees….Ernie Macmillan isn't going to take getting that in the eye sitting down, and he's picked a likely candidate to blame right across the way….."

"Disgraceful, a prefect letting himself get drawn into a food fight" Dumbledore sounded grave but his eyes twinkled. "nice under the table wand work from Abrax….tell him off about it for me, won't you, next time you see him…."

"I'd be more enthusiastic in my telling off if various of my own adoptees weren't deeply involved" sighed Severus. "Jade looks so innocent and sweet and is far too young to be doing wandless magic…little horror."

"Technically, Severus" Minerva leaned over "She's too young to be doing ANY controlled and directed magic….whether that's down to Krait or being blooded I'd not care to guess."

"It's down to being as cussed as Krait is" said Severus. "I think it's gone far enough, Hufflepuff are itching to kill somebody…."

Dumbledore rapped on the table, enhancing the sound with the _sonorous _ spell.

"Ladies and gentlemen…and I believe at the moment with some of you I use the term advisedly….if you are any of you old enough to be high school students not candidates for a crèche, I have some news….."

Some of the older participants in the food fight looked embarrassed. The Marauders and friends beamed unabashed. Dumbledore coughed suddenly and hid his mouth. He went on,

"We have received a challenge to play Quidditch against both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools in a Round Robin, playing each, the winning school to be the one with the best record….I hope you will all work hard for your House team so we can send the best…"

Krait stood up.

"Sir, pardon the interruption, but may I make a suggestion?" she asked.

"You may, Miss Malfoy" said Dumbledore.

"I think this transcends the house thing….especially with the Hat's reiteration about co-operation….I vote Harry Potter seeker and team leader and that he should put together a team from across the Houses that can work together and so he has a pick of the best. We can still have the house cups if people want to, because it's all good practice, but we'd have a better chance of hammering Durmstrang…er, I mean, of making a good showing."

"An interesting idea. Do other people agree?"

There was a roar of discussion. Gryffindor was looking strong as a contender for the house cup, with Harry as seeker and the talents of the Weasley twins as beaters; and it would be a chance for other houses to shine and be represented. There were those who would have preferred not to have any mixing of teams, views about other houses stealing ideas and learning styles were mooted, together with some who would NEVER fly on the same team as a favourite Quidditch enemy; but most seemed to like the novelty of the idea. Dumbledore banged on the table.

"Very well! Harry, we'll give that a try, and if after three weeks you have too many frictions, we'll go back to plan A, hmmm?"

"We won't have friction, sir" said Harry. "I'll pick first from people who flew against the Huorns…we worked pretty well together then."

"An excellent idea!" said Dumbledore heartily "But remember that Professors Snape, McGonagall and Black aren't available…." He teased.

-/-

Cho Chang threw a temperament when Harry suggested she fly as a Chaser.

"I am a seeker, I have always been a seeker!" she declared. "Why should I be the one to change? Why not you?"

"Because he's the best darn seeker in the school" said Draco. "A sight better than you, you're erratic too. I'm glad you won't play, I'd not be happy to have to rely on you!"

"Tact? What tact?" murmured Krait as Cho flung off in a temper.

Draco shrugged.

"She IS erratic…and she throws temperaments."

Harry pulled a face.

"I kind of had to ask her….she did a good job against the Huorns and I need a third chaser to go with you and Krait…."

"Zacharias Smith's not half bad…he's a member of the MSHG and he's as cynical as they come, no one will put anything over him" suggested Krait.

"That's three houses represented anyway" said Harry relieved. "I want the Weasley twins as beaters, they are the best and they have an instinctive knowledge each of where the other is…"

"Yeah, in Slytherin we attract the wrong sort of person as beaters….and Urquhart encourages that" said Krait, referring to the Slytherin games captain. "We don't want to lose on penalties…."

"No way" said Harry.

"So we need a keeper" said Draco. "Ravenclaw's keeper is hopeless…Ron's erratic – sorry Ron, on a good day you're brilliant, on a bad day…."

"He's blood group" said Krait.

"Which helps chasers and Beaters….Keepers and seekers are kind of off in their own little world" said Draco. "Frankly, as a chaser I'd as soon have Ginny than Smith, but if we do have Ron as Keeper, it starts to look like the Weasley Team more than the Hogwarts team…."

Harry laughed.

"I was going to put Ginny as a reserve – she's flexible enough to play any position, she'd be good as a seeker, better as a chaser, okay with any one of her brothers beating and could play keeper well enough…." Ginny gave a shout of delight.

"I thought you might deliberately leave me out because we're an item…" she said.

Harry grinned at her soppily.

"I thought about it….but it wouldn't be fair. Only we must play politics….."

"And we must have a keeper" said Draco. "Run trials….it's the only fair way…."

Harry nodded.

"And I'll take whoever can work with Fred and George to get their help best…." He said. "Not necessarily just the best keeper….go for it Ron, and if you are the best, so be it."

-/-

Zacharias Smith was delighted when Harry suggested to him that he play Chaser; though he felt honour bound to say

"Cattermole might be a better player, if you wanted a Hufflepuff…."

"I don't want A Hufflepuff, I want you" said Harry. "Cattermole couldn't cope with team work with Draco and Krait….and together they fly like demons…."

"You're playing Malfoy as Chaser? Didn't he jib at not being Seeker?" Smith was surprised.

Harry shook his head.

"He's happy enough…he's Seeker on account of being Slytherin's finest, which at the moment isn't saying much, Krait doesn't play on their team if Urquart can avoid it because she gave him the benefit of her opinion on him a couple of years ago and doesn't scruple to update her thoughts if he crosses her path…."

"That's shooting himself in the foot….I saw the way she flew against the Huorns, wished I'd been invited along…."

"It was all rather sudden…you were a bit sceptical about the MSHG then as I recall, we asked the members first…"

Smith shrugged.

"Fair enough. Yeah, I can work with the Malfoys if they'll work with me."

Harry was not forced to turn down the Ravenclaw Keeper; Ravenclaw decided that as Cho had been rejected they would boycott the whole thing.

"Which is grossly unfair!" said Hermione, crossly. "Cho wasn't rejected, she just chose not to play the position you suggested, Harry."

Harry shrugged.

"I must have been mad to want to go out with her…she's such a drama queen."

"She relied on your previous infatuation" said Krait dryly. "I wish Cedric Diggory luck of her. I never did have any time for the silly creature, she's almost as bad as Lavender Brown. Ron, you're going to have to tell _her_ to get lost, you know, subtle hints go over her head and splat against the wall."

"Hermione will tell her when she becomes a nuisance" said Ron lazily. Hermione stared at him open mouthed.

"Ronald Weasley, you are the LIMIT!" she said.

"Why? What did I say?"

Krait and Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances; and all threw clods of turf at him.

-/-

In the end Hufflepuff's keeper, a large stolid boy called Damon Rich, was chosen as Keeper; he looked slow but was actually a lot faster than most would give him credit for, and his hands and feet were outsize and very adept at knocking the quaffle out of harm's way.

"Two each of Slytherin and Hufflepuff, three Gryffindors and Ravenclaw out of it in a massive fit of the sulks" said Krait. "Seems good to me….and Rich has an unexpected sense of humour hidden under that stolid exterior I reckon….I've heard a couple of comments off you that could be taken two ways…."

Rich gave a slow smile.

"Big fellows are supposed to be dim and humourless" he said. "If you get underestimated, you can get away with a lot more…."

Fred and George exchanged glances.

"That's a thought for a leaving stunt" said George. "Damon, my dear chap…."

"Will you please NOT corrupt my keeper until the tournament is safely under our belts?" asked Harry a trifle waspishly.

Fred looked at George.

George looked at Fred.

They grinned.

"As it's you, Harry….." said Fred.

"Seeings as we like you….." said George

"And providing you stop sounding like Professor Snape at us" said Fred.

"Did I?" Harry was startled.

"I'll say….tone, phrasing, look down the nose….but we DO need a good relationship with Damon…." Fred said with an innocent look.

Rich laughed.

"I'll not jerk the captain's strings…. I'll listen, but that's all for now, you hellions."

"Hellions!" said George.

"Appreciation at last!" said Fred.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: A Puzzled Slug**

Krait noticed that Dumbledore was often absent from the staff table; presumably he was following up leads. She had her own ideas about how to do that, and if the head chose to be secretive, then it was just too bad if they covered similar ground. She had written to Wendy and Casimir Malfoy to use muggle sources to see what they could find out about the orphanage day trips; and she also asked Merope. Her ghostly grandmother was pathetically eager to help; and Krait had a village name to work with. As Severus also announced that the visit to Azkaban was arranged and would take place soon, Krait was well pleased. Nagini was a fixed object, so to speak; and she was personally certain that she knew where the locket horcrux was, and that was in a box of not specifically dark rubbish out the back at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. If the cup was in the cave that covered the lot. Krait took her knowledge to Dumbledore.

"The village the orphanage kids were taken to is called Penjodoc….there is a sea cave that is said to be haunted, at least people don't like hanging out there. Theory is it's used by modern day smugglers who put out creepy stories, but a journalist following up that angle wrote that there was an atmosphere he didn't like….here's a map." She pushed towards him the map Casimir had sent by owl.

Dumbledore blinked.

"Bless my soul….I had my suspicions, but I'd only narrowed it down to three places…."

"I asked Merope then got my muggle sources on it" said Krait. "When in doubt, ask an eye witness…"

"Simple….too simple for an old fool of a subtle wizard" laughed Dumbledore. "Well, if you and Harry would care to come horcrux hunting tonight…."

"And Severus?"

"No….I don't want to leave the school with too many of my best forces. Severus is extremely skilled, and the MSHG will follow him and Sirius without question…"

Krait nodded. It made sense.

-/-

Horace Slughorn was feeling a bit like a fish out of water. He had assumed that Hogwarts was much as it had been in his younger days; but there were changes. There were groups of enthusiastic young people – generally the most competent in the class – who spoke amongst each other about the Muggle Studies Hobbies Group in a way that suggested this organisation was a power to be reckoned with within the school. It seemed to be run by Severus Snape and Sirius Black who also appeared to have overcome the extreme differences he remembered well; or at least they hid any such differences in a display of amity that seemed extraordinary.

Horace resented the comment a youth had made that he, Slughorn, was a bit of a disappointment, bearing in mind that he had taught Sev – the child presumably meant Severus Snape – and that another child reminded the first severely that Severus had told them that they were to show the same respect to Professor Slughorn as they would in class towards him. Calling a master by his first name did not tally with showing him respect – and yet they all seemed quite proper in their bearing towards young Severus in public. There were several youngsters bearing the surname Snape, of wildly different physical appearance, including a girl and a boy in the same year. And in that same year was a boy of considerable talent but no connections called David Fraser to whom almost everyone in the class deferred over matters of judgement; including Erich and Grace Snape, neither of them wildly talented potioneers. David Fraser was on excellent terms with Harry Potter and his bodyguard, it seemed, and his set – comprising of a mix of Gryffindors, Slytherin and a couple of Hufflepuffs – hung around with the older ones. Horace Slughorn found himself terribly curious about the Muggle Studies Hobbies Group. Also over the regular appearance of candied pineapple arriving anonymously on his desk. His previous experience had been that donors of such gifts were only too willing to own up to their generosity and would expect a _quid pro quo_ of some kind. His own Slug club was popular enough, though Harry and his set seemed for the most part too busy with Quidditch to attend the first couple of little parties he had arranged, though Hermione Granger – a delightful girl! – had come along with Neville Longbottom. There was even a staff shortage, since Severus and Sirius had put together a scratch staff team to help the mixed house team – bound to cause problems – to train. They had to rely on some pupils, of course, and Ginny and Ron Weasley had formed a part of it, as well as the Fraser boy. Minerva and young Lector had made up the staff side; Rolanda Hooch was busy refereeing. It was all very different to the way things had been! He had even been careful to pick a night when there was no quidditch practise; and Harry and the Malfoy girl had told him that they were busy doing extra lessons with Professor Dumbledore! Slughorn was a little hurt. He liked Krait, for all her threats; but she had more mysteries surrounding her than just her parentage – the two babies she brought to class, for example, and dumped in the outsize cauldron in the corner with toys to play with. She claimed the boy as her half brother – and he already looked enough like Tom Riddle to believe that easily – and the other as her daughter! Horace had fumed slightly and asked what she was doing at school with a daughter; and the irritating girl had smiled blithely and told him she was completing her education! The rest of the staff seemed to ignore this shocking state of affairs; and Slughorn had two theories. One was that Potter had fathered the child and it had been blinked at as a result of the pressures he was under; his other theory wandered into the realm of suspecting Riddle of adding incest to his other crimes, and Krait was being treated gently over it as a mark of sympathy. He discarded the sly whisper of a Slytherin girl that Krait was married to a 'filthy muggle' as ridiculous.

-/-/-

Dumbledore insisted on extracting a promise from both youths that they would obey him utterly in all things, even if he gave the order to flee, run, hide or go back. Harry demurred; but promised. Krait promised readily; she had her fingers crossed behind her back in any case. Harry had the invisibility cloak ready; and they strolled out into the castle grounds.

-/-

Slughorn watched them go with some small irritation; and turned back to his own party, which had been gatecrashed by Salazar and Lilith who were being passed around his other guests quite happily; and Severus had also brought his younger daughters Jade and Lydia, who looked more like Malfoys…though if he had a Malfoy wife it would account for the range from fair Erich to dark Romulus with Grace in the middle. The child Jade was plainer than her sister, though the discussion – almost argument – she was in with Fraser (Slughorn had decided that Fraser was worth getting to know better, even if he was younger than most of those who were INVITED guests) which involved potion making that should have been beyond a third year's capabilities let alone the understanding of a child of no more than eight or at most nine years old! What was more the discussion was over the potential for improvement, not merely about the standard potion; young Jade had an arithmantic theory over the stirring that seemed sound, and Fraser was methodically going through it in a way that showed he appreciated arithmancy without being as fond of it as, say, Hermione Granger was. When Miss Granger joined the discussion, David Fraser laughed and said he knew when he was beat.

"No you aren't David" said Jade "Hermione uses the terms I don't know yet, I need a translator."

"Better talk to Krait" suggested David. Jade gave him a withering look.

"You know fine well she's not here, she and Harry are…" she lapsed into a sibilant hissing as she glanced towards Slughorn. Fraser hissed something back and Jade grinned.

"Yeah, he'll know…or I could pester Professor Slughorn, dad's just been leaked on by Salazar, dirty little beast that he is. Catch Lilith being lazy enough to still need nappies!"

"He's not a year old yet" said Hermione.

"Sirri believes in potty training young" shrugged Jade. "And Mum agrees….she's had enough of damp orphan mixed infants to last a lifetime."

Horace Slughorn blinked again. Was that Parseltongue? They said that Voldemort was a Parselmouth….was it a polite fiction that these girls were Severus' daughters? Were they step daughters? Was Krait their sister? There were similarities….who was mum? He had never met Severus' wife, he had assumed him to be widowed as he had his little girls with him. It had been Severus who had brought Krait to see him….she had not called him 'dad' like these little ones did, but if he was a stepfather it would not follow that an older child would. Yet one would expect Lucius to take on three girls sired on a Malfoy witch….the girl Jade approached him and smiled cheerily.

"Please, sir, can you tell me if I'm on the right lines?" she asked, and outlined her theory to him.

"Yes, indeed, though it's a little more complex than that…you have to be careful" Slughorn told her genially. "Tell me, my dear, what relation are you to Krait Malfoy?"

Jade looked surprised.

"Well, technically, she's my first cousin once removed" she said "But as she's my 'doptive mum that's what counts more."

Slughorn blinked.

"What?" he spluttered.

Jade sighed and gave him a give-me-patience-at-the-stupidity-of-grownups look.

"Krait loved us in the orphanage" she explained carefully "And when dad – he wasn't dad then – took her out to go to Hogwarts we were sad. But then they came to get us too, Lydia and me, and dad became dad, and Lydia never remembered mummy anyway, and Krait was more a mummy than anyone had ever been so as she and dad were an item and nearly married calling her mum felt right, see?"

"Not really….is Lilith your father's child then?" he asked.

"Well of COURSE she is….you don't get immaculate conceptions in England you know" said Jade patiently. "You need a mummy AND a daddy to make a baby because you need two halves of a seed, like pollen on the style of a plant…."

"I know about the process!" yelped Slughorn irritably. "I was….surprised. Your father doesn't seem to take much notice of Krait…."

"Well of COURSE he's got to be tough on her, like on my 'doptive sibs too" said Jade. "And the teachers all know but people outside the MSHG haven't a clue….didn't anyone tell you?"

"No" said Slughorn.

"Oh I expect they forgot….it's old news, Lilith was born almost a year ago and of course they'd been married ages before that" said Jade airily.

"I – oh. Are you a Parselmouth?" he asked bluntly.

"Yes" said Jade. "Aren't all the best people?"

"THAT was insolent" said Severus behind her.

"I'm sorry Professor Slughorn" said Jade instantly. "I got cross at all the questions. I can't say I didn't mean to be rude, 'cos I did, but I should have been rude more tactfully."

Slughorn stared open mouthed at her self possession.

"Glad you never had daughters, I dare say, Horace" said Severus. "Jade, you…you pest!"

"Er….yes" said Slughorn. "Full credit to Jade's honesty, I suppose….I was being nosy."

"Why didn't you ask me instead of pumping the child, Horace?" Severus asked. His voice was lazy but it carried an edge.

Slughorn had the grace to look uncomfortable.

"I thought she'd tell me more than you might" he said.

"Ah…full marks for YOUR honesty, Horace….and your perspicacity. Krait and I do not broadcast our….attachment."

"Couldn't you have waited, Severus? The girl is still a child, a schoolgirl….it must interfere with her work…"

"Two things, Horace, as it's in the open" said Severus quietly. "One: Jade and Lydia needed two parents. Two: we may not be alive to see her complete her NEWTS. The Order of the Phoenix you ducked joining has its uses for both of us and those uses are being close to her father. I trust your integrity and so I tell you this, because I have cast a spell of my own devising that means your incidental guests cannot hear this conversation…..please do not refer to it ever again to me or to Krait."

"No….no, of course not, Severus. I – it's damnably irregular."

"So's Fishface" said Severus dryly. "You want to help? Join the MSHG. You want to be comfortable? Stay well away from the MSHG. We bite. Come, Jade, it's time to bath the babes and bed them down."

Horace Slughorn blinked perplexedly and shook his head. Severus Snape had always been a loner, self possessed in a way, but also defensive. Now? Now he carried himself with an assurance and authority of manner that almost made one feel that it was he who had been the master, not the pupil….what he and Krait were up to must be horribly risky; it made Slughorn's blood run cold to even consider it! He could not carry it off – and had he not been Tom Riddle's favourite teacher?

_So far as I am aware there is no village called Penjodoc; I picked a Cornish sounding name. Pen means 'hill of' and Jodoc was a popular saint in Cornwall and Brittany AKA St Josse out of the local dialects._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: A Little Trip to the Seaside**

The air smelled of salt and there was the hissing rush of waves and the muffled roar as they broke on the shore. There was still a little light in the sky to the West; and the breeze offshore dispelled any sea mist close to the coast as the land cooled down, the warmer air over the sea sucking air off the coast. They stood on a rocky outcrop as the sea churned below; behind them a cliff towered.

"Seems a bleak spot to bring kids to" said Harry.

"There is a village halfway along the cliffs behind us" said Dumbledore. "They gave the children sea air and a view of the waves….Ships cannot get here, smuggler stories or no, and no Muggle could get to this point unless they were uncommonly good mountaineers….."

"Or had rappelling kit like Bil" said Krait. "And the journalist who checked it out. Whether my father used ropes or magic, it must have scared the living daylights out of those two kids….which is why he did it, didn't he?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes…he didn't need do any more to them than bring them to reduce them to abject fear. We, however, are bound a little further on…I reconnoitred a little earlier on today." He led them over the treacherous slippery rocks and lit up his wand, revealing a dark fissure into which water hissed and seethed angrily. "Will you object to getting a little wet?"

"Yes" said Krait. "Unless you mind me transfiguring….I can't swim in me-shape."

"CAN'T you?" asked Harry, surprised. "I thought you could do most things."

"Nuns" said Krait. "Girls without any clothes on…or only cossies…in front of males….we were banned from swimming at school. Like we were banned from sex education. Where ignorance is bliss 'tis then more attractive to get your kit off and get pregnant….I bet the orphanage had a higher rate of teenage pregnancy than average…not that that's germane. Why don't we fly in?"

"There are no flying spells….I thought you knew that, Krait." Said Dumbledore gently.

"Well as we have not had the sense to bring brooms, I could be Hippogriff…." She suggested.

"It is too narrow…and I would prefer not so much magic as transfiguration outside…..you will have to trust me to tow you, Krait" said Dumbledore.

She gulped.

"Very well."

Dumbledore jumped into the sea with a remarkable agility, holding his gleaming wand in his teeth. Krait took a deep breath and followed, kicking toward the headmaster.

"Put your hands on my shoulders" he said; and she did so. His strokes seemed effortless, the mark of the skilled at any activity. Harry followed, and as they passed through the narrow cleft, Krait felt the shiver that magic always gave her. the cold made her shiver too, and she absently cast a warming spell. As they got across the cave Dumbledore said

"You can stand here; there are steps."

Krait nodded and climbed out, watching as Dumbledore examined the high cave.

"Yes, this is the place."

"How can you tell?" Harry whispered.

"It has known magic" said Dumbledore simply.

"Sir, I trust you might know enough magic to dry us" said Krait "Because it's one that passed me by, and I don't want to spend all my strength on a warming spell…."

"I'm sorry….I forgot" Dumbledore levelled his wand at each in turn; and at once their clothes were as warm and dry as if they had been hanging in front of a blazing fire.

"This is the antechamber" said Dumbledore. "From hereon in it will be Voldemort's obstacles that stand in our way, rather than nature's…"

"I wish you'd call the creep Riddle, Albus" said Krait edgily. "I know you're too fly to get caught by name power, but it kind of dignifies him and somehow that offends me…"

"Well, my dear, it would never do to offend you" said Dumbledore twinkling teasingly at her. he approached the cave wall and murmured in a tongue neither youngster understood.

"Be a sight more use if we learned magical tongues than ancient runes, and chanting rather than Divination" said Krait to Harry.

"More useful maybe, but the Ministry has its own ideas" Dumbledore answered her as he paused in his investigations. He touched the rock and ran his fingers backward and forward over a particular spot.

"Ah…it is here…the entrance is concealed."

"Like Platform nine-and-three-quarters?" asked Krait. She was impressed by Dumbledore's quiet expertise.

"In some respects….you have amazing talents, my dear, but there is always more to learn…in due course you will understand a great deal more than can be taught in a mere few years at school."

"I look forward to it…."

Dumbledore smiled and stepped back, pointing his wand at the rock. For a moment an archway appeared, outlined by blazing light as though through a crack.

"You've done it!" said Harry.

"Of course he done it" said Krait with no regard to grammar. "Order and method. The little grey cells. He's a great man. How does one make a concealed doorway anyway?"

Dumbledore smiled again as he stared intently at the rocky wall.

"What sets you aside from your father, my dear child, is that you have a thirst for knowledge of the simple things too, the trivial and the merely interesting, not those that give you power alone….he has learned what he needed to know for the purposes he intended them….and used something so crude I can scarcely believe it…."

"It looked quite sophisticated to me" said Krait.

"Not the gateway….the means of entrance. We are required to make payment…."

"Blood?" asked Krait.

Dumbledore drew out a silver knife similar to their familiar potion ingredient chopping knives.

"Even so" he said disdainfully. "I suppose that the idea is that your enemy weaken himself to enter. Once again, Vol…RIDDLE fails to grasp that there are more terrible things than physical injury."

"Better to avoid it.." said Harry.

"Sometimes it is unavoidable" said Dumbledore shaking back his sleeve and exposing a forearm.

"Better for me or Harry to" said Krait. "Our strength has backing back home…."

Dumbledore smiled and there was a flash of silver and a spurt of blood drops. He passed the tip of his wand over the wound so it healed seamlessly, instantly.

"But we might need that strength….and you have blood ties, both of you, to Riddle….he might come this way and find out….."

"Logical" said Krait, nodding. "Ah, the archway is back…. And the rock where you spurted seems to have disappeared."

"After me" said Dumbledore, walking through the archway. They followed, lighting their wands.

They were on the bank of a lake in the centre of which shone a greenish misty light. The darkness was scarcely penetrated by the light; and somehow it was oppressively densely dark.

"Green light stinks of dark magic" said Krait with distaste. "Why do I think of the lake outside Khazad-dum?"

"Because this place is nasty" said Harry, who had finally been bullied into reading Tolkein.

"Don't touch the water" said Dumbledore.

"Like we need to be given advice that obvious?" muttered Krait, viewing the lake with dislike.

"Professor? Do you think the horcrux is here?" asked Harry.

"Oh yes….the whole place is set up to protect it. The question is getting to it…."

"Is using a summoning charm too simple?"

"Do you want to try?" asked Dumbledore.

"Meh, it'll set off something if you do" said Krait. "Anything connected to the horcrux gotta be trapped….or why bother, might as well keep it in a shoebox under his bed…"

"We can always try" said Dumbledore "It will give us an idea what we are up against."

"GRYFFINDORS!" said Krait. "Go on Harry, it was your idea…..then you duck and I'll cover."

Harry gave her an uncertain look and cleared his throat.

"_Accio Horcrux!"_

there was a noise like an explosion and something large and pale erupted from the water some twenty feet away. It was impossible to make out any detail before it had vanished beneath the water again with a loud splash. There were great, deep ripples on the mirrored surface in its wake. Harry leaped backwards in shock.

"We – we're going to have to cross that lake, aren't we?" asked Harry.

"I'm afraid so. I doubt that was the only one of its kind…..they are guarding the island out there. There will be….ah yes…." Dumbledore stopped and felt about him, in mid air; and with a grunt of satisfaction closed his fist about something, and with a tap of his wand revealed it as a thick coppery green chain. It was attached to a boat that Dumbledore pulled ashore. "Magic leaves traces" he said. "I taught Tom Riddle….I know his style."

"And we are going to ride in a tippy little tub when we can fly?" said Krait. "There's room to go hippogriff here….I'm a metamorphagus, Albus, it barely makes a whisper of magical sound, it's all inward directed, even if it's magic those things detect….and if it was, they'd feel our lights too, and your revealing the chain."

"You have a point, my dear" said Dumbledore. "If you are prepared to carry us then…."

"Meh, piece of cake" said Krait. She shifted into hippogriff form easily and readily. Dumbledore and Harry climbed up and she leaped up with a simultaneous powerful downstroke of her great feathered wings.

Krait enjoyed flying; she had practised at times during the early morning constitutionals as a variant on running, though being a female hippogriff had its risks and she was careful to mentally check the time in her personal cycles so as not to attract the flirtatious attentions of Buckbeak.

-/-

Krait looked down through the water and her heart lurched; and she looked up again, concentrating on reaching the island. It was as though the whole island glowed green; but as Krait came in to backwing down onto the small smooth rock no larger than Severus' office she could see that the light source was a bowl similar to the Pensieve. She waited for her passengers to dismount and shrugged back into her own form with its efficient human vocal chords.

"The lake's chock full of inferii" she said grimly. "All laid out neatly like so many bodies in a morgue after a major disaster….why do I think they might all of them once have gone to the orphanage…"

Harry shuddered.

"They are harmless at the moment" said Dumbledore "They will only be activated if we disturb the water. There is nothing to be feared from a corpse, any more than there is anything to fear about darkness…Riddle would disagree, for he secretly fears both, as he fears death too, hence his deliberate soul-death to prolong a semblance of life….he reveals again his lack of wisdom, for it is the unknown we fear when we fear death and darkness, nothing more."

"Like coming to a boarding school" said Krait. "Or having a baby. Everything's scary first time round…."

"You don't do death more than once…." Said Harry.

"Unless you believe in reincarnation…" said Krait "Not that this is a good time for that much philosophy….what's the liquid light in aid of Albus?"

"I am not sure" said Dumbledore. "Something more worrisome than blood and bodies, however." He reached out towards the liquid.

"Sir, don't touch!" cried Harry.

"Assume he knows what he's doing" said Krait. "He needs to feel what it is….he can't touch, look."

"Quite right" said Dumbledore smiling faintly. "There is a barrier…." He made complicated movements over the bowl with his wand, murmuring soundlessly.

"Is it there?" asked Harry when Dumbledore withdrew his wand.

"Oh yes….but how to reach it….this potion cannot be penetrated by hand, Vanished, Parted, scooped up nor siphoned away, nor transfigured, Charmed or made to change its nature."

"I knew we needed Severus" said Krait gloomily. "Nobody knows potions like Severus…."

"You have your link…." Said Harry.

"Yes….it might be a bit hit and miss operating through me….and we've no antidote ingredients anyway" she said frowning. "Do you want me to get Severus in my head and see what he can determine?"

"I can make one conclusion" said Dumbledore conjuring a goblet from mid air. "It is supposed to be drunk."

"I don't even like it sober" Krait quipped sombrely.

"I think that it has been set up so that only by drinking it can I empty the basin and see what lies at the depths."

"What if it kills you?" asked Harry.

"I doubt it works like that….Riddle would want to question anyone who penetrated his secret island. It may make me act in a way that distracts me or create pain or render me incapable in some way….and in that case, it is your jobs to remember your promise to me and see that I keep drinking even if you have to tip it in my protesting mouth. You understand?"

Harry looked horrified. Krait was frowning in deep thought.

"You are the only wizard my father ever feared" she said "And you taught him….he would set up defences aimed at YOU, Albus, that would force YOU to drink it, as being the only way a self-sacrificing, noble Gryffindor could see of doing it….the only way a wizard born and bred or despising muggle ways would see to do it, the only way he could see you being able to do it….he is flawed and you have a serious limit to your powers, sir."

"If there is another way I would rather try it…but you have seen that the muggle method of physical penetration is impossible" said Dumbledore. "I really do not see that we have any choice…" he reached towards the liquid with the goblet.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Out of the Box**

Krait twitched the goblet out of Dumbledore's hand.

" Honestly, GRYYFINDORS! It cannot be affected by normal spells or muggle methods of penatration…..from the top. It cannot, I'm sure, be tipped, poured, rocked or disturbed….but there are tools you may not know about, tools my father would despise even if he knew about them….and he takes short cuts. He was so busy setting it up so that only a goblet would penetrate it I bet he forgot that a bowl has sides and a bottom as well as an open top " Krait looked at the goblet Dumbledore had summoned and concentrated, turning it into a brace-and-bit. She frowned thoughtfully at the bit.

"_Carborundum"_ she said. "With a diamond-tipped drill – which I wager he's never heard of - and magic to turn it so we don't tire with physical effort we can drill a hole at the bottom of this basin….if it doesn't work we can always fall back on your plan A sir. Though in that case, Harry and I should drink…."

"Harry must be preserved….and my dear, you are in an interesting condition again…."

Krait blushed.

"Ah….I thought I was late" she said. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to it; though you do have a blood link to us, we can feed you strength….what ever is the Latin for drilling? Ah yes, rotatum…rotao?" She set the drill bit against the base of the basin. "Might not be a bad idea to persuade the rock to change shape to make a channel and a basin to hold it…." She suggested "We don't want it running into the water, it might wake up our slumbering friends…."

Dumbledore nodded, and pointed his wand at the rock beneath the basin, forming a runaway channel.

"If you have a vial or bottle on you it might not be a bad idea to have Severus analyse it…." Suggested Krait. "My guess is it's something like the opposite of Felix Felicis….with the green glow it'd not surprise me if he used essence of person killed by Avada Kadavra, or liquidised Dementor or something equally nasty…I bet he never expected to pit wits with any but a Gryffindor, with all that excruciating nobility, straightforwardness, honesty and self sacrifice….we Slytherin are nasty, sneaky, convoluted, pragmatic and constructively cowardly and I don't want to touch that stuff or have anyone I love touch it either…."

Dumbledore produced a small bottle from his robes laughing gently.

"Slytherin are also supposed to be ambitious to the point of selfishness…." He said.

"If Salazar Slytherin had been wholly selfish he'd not have helped endow a school" said Krait. "He might have taken a select band of apprentices…..ambition has more than one face, House Slytherin has been corrupted over the centuries. After all, was he not a friend of Godric Gryffindor before they quarrelled? And I bet the quarrel started off as something silly because nobody can hurt as deeply as the ones we love most…."

"My dear child, you really ARE Slytherin's heir" said Dumbledore. "And to call yourself cowardly – constructively or no – is a misnomer."

"Meh….call it cautious then." Said Krait, commencing drilling.

The sound was high and chilling like the scream of a Dementor; but the diamond tip made progress. Harry gritted his teeth against the awful sound, glancing uneasily at the lake, lest it wake the sleeping dead; and Krait drilled on, her teeth gritted and sweat running down her face.

"Your go" she gasped. "It's tough….it vibrates…."

Harry pushed the drill into the hole she had made and muttered the spell; and felt immediately what Krait meant as the spell-driven bit vibrated the whole tool.

Suddenly the bit jumped and ran fast as the resistance ceased; and Harry pulled it back hurriedly. Dumbledore caught a portion of the jet of eerie green fluid in his bottle as it shot out.

"Blast" said Krait. "I forgot the pressure….Luke, look out, we're going to have company!"

Harry gave a wry half grin and took a firm grip on his wand.

The army of men, women and children emerged slowly, dull and sunken-eyed from the water as soon as the green liquid touched it. Harry acted first, trying to use _petrificus totalis_, _Impediment and Incarcerous_ in turn; and a few were held, bound or slowed.

"_Incendia_" said Krait and her wand sprayed a jet of fire. Dumbledore set up a ring of fire, emanating from his wand like a lasso, around the island, driving back those who were approaching; and Krait and Harry exchanged a look.

"Fire will free them…" said Krait. "We must release them all from their torment…."

Harry nodded; and methodically they set fire to each of the faltering figures, driven by a need to reach their quarry yet driven back by Dumbledore's ring of fire. They called on the blood group; for this needed ongoing strength.

The thin high keening was terrible; and Krait shuddered as she deliberately set fire to more, forcing the fire to burn on under water as they attempted to escape. Hermione was the mistress of the waterproof flame; and Krait had listened to her friend often enough to use her knowledge, with help from the blood-bond. Swallowing hard she transfigured the top layer of the lake into petroleum and the sheet of flame engulfed the keening writhing inferii.

Absently Krait cast a bubblehead spell on herself. The oxygen in here would be used pretty soon with so much fire; and relieved she noted Dumbledore and Harry copying her.

At last it was over; and Krait sank down on her knees, offering up wordless prayers for the unfortunates whose bodies were corrupted and used by her father. She had no way of knowing if any consciousness was stolen from the souls of the dead; and she fervently hoped not.

-/-

When Dumbledore scooped the horcrux from the basin it was almost anticlimactic.

Krait glanced at it.

"That's not grandmama's locket" she said flatly. "It's too small…and there's no S-monogram on it. What's the parchment?" for there was a scrap of parchment lodged in it.

Dumbledore opened the locket and unfolded the parchment.

"To the Dark Lord" it said "I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen your Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more. RAB"

"Meh!" said Krait. "I SAID the locket was the one in the Black house….Regulus Arcturus Black, clever little bastard, made off with the thing but died before he could destroy it….I was hoping this would be the cup of Hufflepuff. And if you'd drunk that crap it would all have been for nothing. Let's go home….I'm cold, weary and irritable."

"It does appear our efforts have been in vain" said Dumbledore ruefully. "But we had to come and check this hiding place….perhaps our next efforts will be less fruitless."

"I hope so" said Krait. "Glad you didn't have to drink it….chances are there'd have been some way to make waking up our erstwhile playmates inevitable anyway. Shall we go?" she shimmered back into Hippogriff, drawing from the blood group to do so.

-/-

The gateway had shut again; and Dumbledore reactivated it with more blood. Krait concentrated and changed into seal to negotiate the sea swim; and undertook drying as part of the transfiguration back to human.

"I guess it was educational" she said philosophically. "And every one of Riddle's machinations we go against teaches us more about how the enemy's mind works. Not nice, but useful."

-/-

Horace Slughorn's party may have contained a few surprises but on the whole he was pleased with it. Severus Snape rejoined it after he had seen his little girls and the babies to bed; and if he was a trifle preoccupied it was not so morose a preoccupation as Slughorn recalled had been his wont.

The party was at its height when several members stiffened suddenly and exchanged glances. Gradually they drew close to each other; and shortly a small, pyjama clad figure came in the door. It was Bil Prince; and she walked up to Severus and hissed. It sounded like a query.

Severus shook his head and hissed back. Could he be a Parselmouth too? It seemed incredible. Bil Prince nodded and took herself off. Severus reached out and took the hands of Draco Malfoy on one side and Ginny Weasley on the other; and Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley and Sirius Black linked hands through each other to them. Harry's bodyguard. Severus was chanting quietly; and there was a curious thumping noise, lub DUP, lub DUP! that sounded through the room like a muffled drum. It came from the group that held hands; and Slughorn's other guests stared at them curiously.

"Severus my dear boy…are you all right?" Slughorn ventured.

The entire group turned their gaze on him; hard, blazing looks.

"Get them out" said Severus. "Let us be alone….."

Slughorn swallowed and set about breaking up his party. He had just persuaded his last guest to go when there was a muffled POP! And Dumbledore, Harry and Krait turned up in the centre of the little circle. He stared open mouthed. Apparating within Hogwarts was impossible!

"Did you get it?" it was Ginny who asked.

"Yes and no" said Harry wearily. "We got it, but somebody else already got there first." He passed the note to her. she read it quickly and passed it round the group.

"But that's okay, isn't it?" she said. "If this RAB destroyed it…."

"He didn't" said Krait harshly. "it's in Padfoot's dustbin… I bet RAB is Padfoot's brother and I told you all I recognised it when we'd seen the Pensieve… and we need to decide whether to use a summoning charm, go personally, or send Kreacher to find it, assuming he may have concealed it to keep…you sent him on the odd errand to go directly there and back, Sirius, but I bet you never told him not to rescue rubbish while he was there."

"I didn't think of it…I was busy finding ways to forbid him to pass messages or contact anyone else" said Sirius. "I'll go and look for it first, let's not give Kreacher any more information than we have to. I can always try a summoning charm within the house."

Krait nodded.

"Use the penseive memory in the Gaunt house to see what it looks like….it may help you visualise what you're summoning."

"My!" said Sirius in mock admiration "And will you explain what an animagus is to me as well?"

Krait laughed.

"Your point, Padfoot….sorry to state the obvious. I suppose I spend too much time with small people….you want to worry when I tell you to look at the big red train going choo-choo."

"I don't often score one on you….I shall cherish the experience" said Sirius cheerfully, and went off whistling brightly.

-/-

"Would anyone mind telling me what's going on?" Horace Slughorn asked plaintively.

"My dear Horace, I thought you might have worked it out" said Dumbledore. "Krait, Harry and myself went to retrieve a horcrux…we ran into a little trouble in the persons – can I say persons about corpses? – of some inferii; and we returned after determining that somebody had substituted the horcrux for something else. It was a somewhat frustrating but not wholly fruitless trip. Ah, Severus, handle this carefully….you'll want to analyse it, perhaps Horace might like to help you…"

"What is it?" asked Severus.

"Bottled malice" said Krait. "He set up a situation to force Albus to drink it….we found a way round my father's pea-sized imagination."

"My dear girl, do not underestimate Tom Riddle, he is brilliantly clever!" said Slughorn. Krait turned a thoughtful violet regard upon him.

"Clever, I grant you. But he lacks vision, clear understanding and imagination" she said coolly. "He has blind spots. Many of them are fundamental. Besides, I am many times cleverer than he, as well as far more ruthless than he can imagine."

Slughorn took exception to that.

"You say so, my dear but you are gentle and compassionate beneath the pretence…."

"I am a mother, Horace" her voice was clear, level and light; yet somehow chilling. "There is nothing I would not do in the defence of my children….or indeed any I hold dear to me. HE kills for some warped pleasure and to try to prove that he's not a dickless wonder. He claims to be too far above us all to be bound by normal morality; in fact it's just an excuse to hide that amoeba surpass him on the evolutionary scale, and maggots laugh at him." Contempt dripped from her voice.

Slughorn swallowed.

"Er….quite" he said. "Severus, if you'd like a second opinion…."

Severus nodded.

"You and Krait and I should be able to unravel it all….you are a specialist in analysis after all."

Slughorn did not quite preen.

-/-

If Horace Slughorn was surprised and disturbed that the rest of the group followed them to the potions dungeon and sat waiting quietly on the desks he did not say so. Ron kicked his sister.

"You're the youngest….you put cocoa on to brew" he said.

Ginny made a face at him; but uncoiled her legs from where they were tucked up beneath her and went to get out the cauldron Severus used for the MSHG cocoa ritual.

"Did Hermione, Draco and Harry want to try their hands at analysis?" Slughorn suggested.

"I think not" said Severus. "We like to keep the innocence of the nicer members of our group intact….there's a great difference being told what may be in here – and I can guess – and feeling it at the end of your own wand." He smiled cynically as Slughorn shot an uncertain glance at Krait. "My wife is well inured to horror, I assure you….and if I didn't let her help she'd nag me besides."

Krait stuck out her tongue at him.

-/-

The three testers used the revelaspell; and Krait and Severus also cast it in Parseltongue. They exchanged glances.

"Well?" demanded Ron.

"The usual hallucinogens and several nasty things to induce pain…." Said Krait "And the pensieved thoughts of a dying man under the kiss of a dementor." She gulped. "And a man who had been tortured himself and had watched his loved ones tortured to death to intensify the dementor's effect….it would bring pain, despair and hallucination of one's self and one's dear ones in agony, allied with a terrible guilt feeling, for he was told it was his own fault that this was happening, I think, brainwashed, like HE brainwashed Bella Black until she enjoyed pain….what was there burned with the inferii. Let us burn this. Excuse me." she rushed out of the room.

"Wha…" said Ron.

"Idiot, she's gone to be sick" said Ginny. "Shall I go to her, Sev?"

Severus nodded.

Ginny thrust the spoon into Ron's hands and went off to the staff toilet where Krait was throwing up and sobbing.

"Dumbledore was going to drink it…." She whispered when she emerged from the pan. "Honestly, GRYFFINDORS!"

Ginny hugged her and passed her a mug to rinse her mouth.

"I'm a Gryffindor" she said mildly.

"Yeah, but you're a woman….more brain cells then testosterone" said Krait. "It's not just the nastiness….I'm probably pregnant again, it does funny things to you."

Ginny nodded.

"I guess I'll have to remember that" she said wryly.

"Hmph….if nobody else has played silly buggers with Horcruces we should have killed Fishface by the time you wed Harry, so being pregnant is all you have to worry about" said Krait. "And getting Harry to work on time….he's hopeless first thing in the morning."

Ginny laughed and linked an arm through Krait's to draw her back to the others.

The cocoa ritual was calming and comforting.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: A Field Trip to Azkaban**

The MSHG did not set out on their field trip to Azkaban with light hearts; but were certainly in good heart, knowing that their visit covered something that would help Harry. Most had no idea what that might be; but it was a day off normal lessons anyway, which was never a bad thing!

The mode of transport that they used involved the utilisation of ley lines. Sirius had explained in Geomancy lessons that ley lines speeded travel, but that over water it was a bad idea to stop, even on brooms, as it was possible to fall into the water beneath. He explained that a bold and competent practitioner of ley line magic could run effectively across the waves providing his speed was high enough. Severus decided to take his charges on brooms; and it was exciting for them to watch the miles be eaten up by tapping into the energy of the ley lines beneath. As David Fraser could sense the energy changes it was an easy matter; though, as Severus pointed out, virtually impossible for those who could not feel the power surge, for they could not then tap it unless guided.

-/-

Krait knew that this was going to be one of her harder challenges, mostly in terms of bullying Wormtail, whom she pitied. The gloomy atmosphere of Azkaban made her shudder as they approached; the residue of the dementors' fear lingered.

"there are still some there" said Harry, intensely.

"It's their natural hunting ground, I suppose…." Said Krait

The guard on the gate regarded them morosely.

"If you didn't have a ministry order…." He growled "Ridiculous, to bring children here…."

Severus looked down his nose.

"But a salutary lesson, surely, for any foolish enough to even contemplate throwing in their lot with the Dark One?"

The auror guard sniffed.

"I can see that it would suit your sadistic urges, Snape… I have my orders to let you in. I don't have to like it."

"Nobody asked you to" said Severus silkily. "If you rabble can keep yourselves in some semblance of order…."

-/-

Krait picked her moment to slip away. Such dementors as had remained obviously had their orders to hold aloof, for none troubled the group, though the years of horror clung to the very stones in a palpable background count of terror and loathing. It was not hard to follow the despairing feelings of the wretched Wormtail and find his cell. He looked up as she discarded the cloak and his face became suffused with joy.

"My lady….did the Master send you to free me?"

Krait's heart was wrung with pity; and she deliberately hardened it.

"My father did not send me, Peter Pettigrew" she said.

"You – you are here to take me away though?" he insisted. "He – he will be pleased if you give him back his most loyal servant."

Krait regarded him sorrowfully.

"Peter, he said that if you were stupid enough to get caught you deserved to rot. Do not assign feelings of loyalty or compassion to him; he has none. He is not James Potter with a decent heart beneath his bluff cruelty." She said. Wormtail aged before her eyes, and sagged defeated onto the floor, sobbing helplessly.

"I can help release you from this slavery" she said.

"How?" he looked up, his face ravaged with despair and grief.

"Tell me all I need to know and I can be sure that he dies….and dies for good, bereft of his horcruces."

Wormtail stared at her in horror.

"You plan to betray the Master – and expect me to help?" he squeaked, more in fear than indignation.

"Yes" she said simply. "His whimsies are unstable and will ultimately destroy us all. He is a thrice time failure. He has his own rules for failure; it is time they were applied to him."

Wormtail sobbed again. Krait reflected that it was as well that he was known to be likely so to do, else it had brought too much notice on them. She had to tread carefully, not to give any inkling that she was doing anything but a bit of freelance betrayal, lest Wormtail find a way of communicating with Voldemort.

"What do you need to know?" he asked sulkily, unwillingly.

"What was it that he had you steal from the Potter home in Godric's Hollow and then return there?" she asked. He stared.

"Are you so deep in his confidence? Did he tell you that?"

"Let's just say I can add facts as well as any juvenile and made assumptions" she said. "You confirm my theory, anyway."

Pettigrew gave her a look of dislike.

"It was Lily Evans' watch" he muttered. "He laughed long that it was the kind of thing sentimentalists would want to keep….."

Krait nodded.

"Thank you, Peter" she said crisply. "The time will come when your willing co-operation will be remembered."

"Mistress…." He begged. "Release me…."

"Not yet!" she said. "You might run to him straightway…..and if you believe you could keep this conversation secret you are a bigger fool than I think you."

Wormtail huddled up in a corner moaning and sobbing to himself; and with a look of disgust mingled with pity she left him.

"It were almost kinder to kill the poor creature outright" she muttered to herself "If it didn't so go against the grain to shoot fish in a bucket….."

-/-

The others in the group were easy to find; Bil had demanded to see the cell of Sirius Black and there was quite a noisy altercation centring on Severus who was protesting that a gaoler had found it amusing to push her inside and lock the door if she wanted so much to understand Black. Krait arrived as Bil lost her cool and called on her Blood to blow the door right off its hinges. Krait gave the little girl a hug and pushed her behind her out of sight as the brutal-looking gaoler protested such cavalier treatment of his doors. Severus raised an eyebrow.

"No wonder you people are so good at losing your charges" he murmured "If a little girl can get out like that….."

the gaoler turned colour and blustered ineffectually; but by then Bil was back, tugging on Severus' arm.

"Cousin Sev, there's a house elf…..he's got horrid magics on him to stop him disapparating…"

Severus cocked an eyebrow interrogatively at the gaoler.

"Why is a house elf in here?" he asked. Krait heard the subtle use of magical imperatives in his tone.

The gaoler shrugged.

"He tricked his master into freein' him then killed un" he said. "Naarsty little beast, he's here until someone be prepared to take un on as a slave, which ain't never likely, untrustworthy as he be"

"I'd take him" said Bil.

"Such resource and initiative on the part of an elf can scarcely go unrewarded" murmured Severus. "What is your name, elf, and why did you wish to kill your master?"

"I is Tolly, sir, and he were main cruel!" squeaked the elf. "When my sister hurt her leg cos he has pushed her, he picked her up by the legs and dashed her brains out cos her was slow!"

Bil scowled.

"Pity you killed him" she said "I'd have liked to do it for you…."

"The girl has offered to take the elf" said Severus. "You can open the door and remove that spell sapping collar." Again his voice was controlled, suggesting.

Muttering the gaoler complied.

"Don't whine to me if you get killed" he grumbled.

"I shan't" said Bil. "Tolly, for your own safety I can't free you for a while yet…..get up, please, and never do that again!" as

the elf kissed her feet. "You can help the other elves at Hogwarts while I'm there I guess."

"Tolly is grateful" said the elf. "Tolly will never betray the little mistress." He gazed at her earnestly.

"Of course not" said Bil. "I will take care of you and I won't let anyone hurt you, so there" and she glared at the gaoler. "It's associating with dementors that makes some of these people so like the horrid creatures themselves" she added as an aside to no-one in particular.

"I think we might as well go now" said Severus. Krait had touched his mind briefly to apprise him that she had all she wanted.

The denizens of Azkaban were likely as glad to see the visitors go as they were to leave; though they were trailed by a couple of the remaining dementors. Krait caught the eye of her friends meaningfully; and as soon as the ley line took them onto dry land, that they could safely stop, they turned and cried 'Ri-de!" at the creatures. It was now a familiar sight to watch them laugh themselves to death; and the task was quickly accomplished under several wands. Krait nodded in satisfaction.

"Job well jobbed" she said.

"Did he? And what was it?" asked Harry.

"Yes; your mother's watch." She answered succinctly. Harry's eyes filled with tears and he blinked them away.

"To have to destroy a vital link to my mother…." He said bitterly.

"HE did not think you would ever have the strength to do so, even if you ever found out….I know differently" said Krait. "Seeing my family ring destroyed, knowing I must destroy my little grandmamma's locket, these things do not please me, for they take away my children's heritage too….but they are only things. The true value is the scar, Harry, the greatest gift your mother ever gave you; and the knowledge of your parents' love. As I know my family – and our Kindred – love me. Things are only ever things, you know. It's why he'll fail. He puts value on empty vessels like power and material stuff."

Harry nodded.

"You're right…..but I don't have to like it."

"Nobody asked you to" she mimicked Severus' earlier words to the gate guard.

-/-

Dumbledore was taken aback, and said so to the inner core Blood Group.

"I confess, I was not sure you would find out about anything specific" he said "Because, though I had preferred not to dwell on it, I always wondered if Harry were not an accidental Horcrux."

"If he is, he might yet be – if you think it likely sir" said Krait, hollowly. "Fishface would make up the requisite arithmantically correct number for himself. He killed two people at Godric's Hollow; Lily and James. Would you expand?"

Dumbledore nodded, and smiled at Harry.

"It's why I was so happy that Harry gave his blood willingly to restore Riddle" he said "Because that puts his blood – and Lily's blood sacrifice INSIDE the form of Tom Riddle. I believe that Harry must allow Riddle to cast a killing curse at him – which will kill ONLY the part of Riddle he has inside him."

"That's a hell of a risk to take!" said Harry "But I guess….."

"Meh, you have cast iron ones" said Krait "You'll never flinch….besides I swear if the boss is wrong, we'll dissipate the power between us from OUR blood. He put it there; he has to be the one to destroy it. I kind of get that."

Harry nodded.

"It does make sense" he said "And it gives us an advantage too…..he can gloat, because I should think he'll believe his curse will work and then he'll be off guard for all our team to kill him and his admiring supporters."

"What, we get him to turn up to enact punishment by me admitting to being Lord Convolvumort and claiming you wrote the script because we're gay lovers?" grinned Draco.

Harry chuckled.

"Something like that" he said.

"Can't you take _anything_ seriously?" scolded Hermione.

"I try not to" said Draco "The alternative has me wanting to puke with sheer terror."

"It also works another way to our advantage" said Krait "Eight is a significantly UNlucky number arithmantically, like thirteen. The so-called dead man's hand in cards isn't aces over eights for nothing."

Hermione nodded.

"So Fishface has actually accidentally made something to work against him."

"He did that by coming up against Lily" said Severus softly "Yes, I still love her; of course I do" he smiled half apologetically at Krait "Even though I have also moved on. My love for her gave me the strength to defy Riddle; he believed only in lust, told me I could find another. My passion for his daughter proves that to him in his own mind, because he does not understand the peculiar arithmancy of love."

"The more you divide it the more it multiplies" said Krait softly "Exactly. You found your admiration for his ideals dissolve like morning mist over his failure to show compassion even for one of his lieutenants. Lily's impact is manifold; her impact, my love, on you; and her protection of her son. And her nature in Harry that makes him self sacrificing, ready to take _Avada Kedavra_ without being totally sure what's going to happen."

"You better not let him die" threatened Ginny. "Harry, if you die, I'll kill you!"

Harry grinned.

"Do my best" he said "But I'd rather die and see all the kids grow up free – if it gives the rest of you the chance to kill Fishface totally. I do not believe it is the end of existence; even if the ghosts are only ghosts because they are afraid to face it."

"It is not" said Dumbledore. He hesitated "I – I will tell you more another time….. we all have our moments of hubris. But it is not relevant. What is relevant is to get our hands on the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and the real locket."

"I'll talk to Kreacher about that locket" said Sirius, grimly.

"GENTLY, Padfoot, gently!" admonished Krait "You hardly inspire loyalty in him the way you behave; if you're going to get him to obey willingly and be prepared to obey the spirit not just the letter of your orders until you can lead him to desire freedom you're going to have to be kinder to him."

"He revolts me" said Sirius.

"I used to revolt you" said Severus. "If you can't manage it yourself, why not introduce Bil to him as your betrothed? Maybe she can get him to talk."

"Or I could just order him to bring it to me if I can't find it at Grimmauld Place" said Sirius.

"You could; but Sirri says he talks a lot about wonderful Master Regulus" said Krait "And if Regulus was the RAB who wrote the message he proved himself an ally of good at the end, who also broke away, as Severus broke away and that means we might win Kreacher over to alliance. Bella's a child; and we can win Narcissa through Draco. Give the poor deluded, confused little sod a chance, huh?"

Hermione nodded approval.

Sirius shrugged.

"All right…. If I can't find it I'll get Bil to talk to him. She owns her own house elf now, after all; he should approve of that. And the Prince family are Purebloods; we just don't tell him she isn't!"

"Quite" said Krait "After all, you did get your mother's portrait to approve the match!"

_Yes, I have my own ideas about the horcruces and have not stuck entirely to canon; I'm going by what seems more logical. And this does partly stem from my usurping of the story of the Bloody Baron and the Grey Lady so I'm going with as much internal self consistency as I can. _


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Kreacher's Tale**

The locket was not at Grimmauld Place; and Sirius duly asked Bil to talk to Kreacher. As his betrothed by blood oath, the elf counted her as one he was obliged to obey.

Bil was sobbing when she reported.

"That poor, poor little creature!" she said "He's so unhappy, he thinks he failed Regulus! It's a tragic story – and I know you'll feel compassion for him, Padfoot, anyone would who wasn't hardened!"

"I'll listen with an open mind" said Sirius, cautiously.

"It began when your brother was a willing slave of Fishface" said Bil "And was asked by Riddle to borrow a house elf. I guess because house elves are very resilient to damage – and also killing one wouldn't matter to the creep" she added scornfully. "Regulus ordered Kreacher to obey the Dark Lord as he would a Black, then return to the house. Anyway, they went to that cave some of you visited; and Fishface – I guess to test it – had Kreacher drink all the liquid, then put the Horcrux in and left him to his sufferings."

"Bastard!" cried Sirius, angrily "I may not like the little beast, but that's iniquitous!"

"Quite" said Bil. "Anyway, Kreacher was filled with feelings of despair and horror like we guessed anyone would, and also with unbearable thirst and went to drink – the only water being available being that lake. Consequently he was dragged under water by inferii. But he had orders to return home; and somehow he managed. House elf dissapparating is most AWFULLY powerful!" she added. "Then he reported to Regulus, who was well horrified. I guess he was getting some idea of what Riddle was like; I guess he also had some idea of what the horcrux was. Anyway he got a Black family locket; and got Kreacher to take him to the cave. And, Sirius, this proves your brother was a decent type really; he could have made Kreacher drink it again but he didn't. He told him to take the locket out and put the false one in and take it home to destroy. Then HE drank it, and went to drink and was killed by inferii. Kreacher was beside himself with grief but tried to carry out his beloved master's last orders. Only the Horcrux resisted all attempts to destroy it. And Kreacher is partly soured by believing he has failed his master, and keeps punishing himself."

"Poor little thing!" said Krait "When we have it, Sirius, you must let him help destroy it to free him from that guilt!"

"Yeah, I guess I should" sighed Sirius "All right, I'll try to be gentle with him….where is it now?"

"Mundungus Fletcher stole it, and sundry other Black treasures, while meeting with the Order of the Phoenix" said Bil.

"And they let that stinking little thief in whilst excluding us?" Ron yelped "Now that's TOO much!"

"Adults have much to answer for" said Krait gravely and with only a touch of irony.

"Acquit us Marauders" said Sirius "Scales and I wanted you in, and Moonie would have agreed."

"I never was a Marauder actually" said Severus, mildly.

"I keep forgetting that, nowadays…." Said Sirius. "KREACHER!"

The House Elf arrived promptly.

"Listen to me" said Sirius "You loved Regulus, right?"

"Master Regulus was a good master, he didn't consort with mudbloods and blood traitors" said Kreacher, sulkily.

Sirius swallowed hard.

"I forbid you to use those terms, Kreacher" he managed to speak evenly. "And that was largely because there were few muggleborn at Hogwarts at the time. But he died to prevent the plans of he whom we do not name, because he realised the enormity of his plans. Do you understand that?"

Kreacher regarded him thoughtfully.

"Whatever my master did was right. I obeyed him because he was my master" he said.

"What he did was to try to stop a tyranny against all mugglborn by attempting to destroy an artifact important to the dark one – STOP that!" as Kreacher began to bang his head on the floor.

_**ssss**__Give him a cuddle, idiot __**ssss**_ hissed Krait in Parseltongue.

Sirius put an awkward arm around Kreacher who started sobbing wildly at such unaccustomed kindness.

"When we have it you shall help to destroy it" said Sirius "So you fulfil that promise to my brother. You have not failed him; his orders have merely been delayed because you had not the means to carry them out. You do not need to punish yourself because the unfulfilled order is not your fault; nor is it my brother's because he did not know how hard these things are to destroy. He did not mean you to be sad because you could not do his bidding. If he were alive he would order you to be strong to help destroy this and others of its kind."

"Master is KIND to Kreacher?" it was incredulous.

"I've been impatient with you; because you planned to betray me. I guess you never got told all that was going on" said Sirius "How the Dark Lord brainwashed Bella and Narcissa into obeying him as though THEY were house elves, and to believe they had no will but his; how he tried to do the same to Regulus, but Regulus broke away and determined to destroy his former master for his er, contumely."

Kreacher was shocked.

"It isn't right for HUMANS to act like house elves!" he squeaked indignantly.

Krait kicked Hermione hard as the girl opened her mouth to say it wasn't right for anyone. This was NOT the time or place for a discussion on the philosophy of slavery. If Kreacher could respect Sirius and learn to respect and be civil to the rest of them, that was soon enough to start introducing alien concepts like freedom to him.

Hermione shut her mouth and rubbed her ankle in slightly huffy silence.

Sirius nodded.

"Tom Riddle – Fishface – the Dark Lord – Voldemort – call him what you will – wants to see everyone in slavery to him as profound as house elf slavery. We are fighting against that, and blood status is of no importance in that fight" he said. "Now in my opinion, the best thing to do to get this blasted locket and destroy it is to go and find Dung Fletcher and bring him to us to question about what he did with it."

"To the dungeon with the chains and torture equipment preferably" said Krait "Not to use, but the sight of them ought to soften him up a bit."

"Yes, frighten the filthy little thief!" squeaked Kreacher.

"Good, I like that" approved Sirius "So let me know when you've found him so we can go there, and then bring him to the dungeon."

Kreacher dissapparated, a lot more alert and cheerful than he had ever been, for the thought of fulfilling his last orders from Regulus.

-/-

"What now then?" said Harry, after blowing his nose hard. He had been much affected by Kreacher's tale.

"We wait for Dung Fletcher; and then in the holidays you visit Godric's Hollow to get your mother's watch and Fido, Padfoot and a couple of others go geomancing in Albania to see if Hufflepuff's cup is in the hideout there" said Krait. "They can test out David's new hollow tipped silver colloid-filled bullets on any werewolves they find; supposed to be plenty in Albania."

Sirius nodded.

"I thought we'd ask Kingsley Shacklebolt along on that expedition too" he said. "He's no mean geomancer himself. And if we're after werewolves as a side trip, Moonie would like to come too I bet."

-/-/-/-

Meantime the new intake were settling in well and a reasonable number had eagerly joined the MSHG as soon as they realised it was to give greater help fighting dark arts. That is to say, at first, Hayley Betts and Kronprinz Victor was dragged along by the Malfoy twins – as Hawke and Abrax were beginning to be called – and Crispin, the young Parselmouth, was invited too, Severus having arranged his transfer from the muggle school for which he had properly been bound. Crispin had learned Latin and Greek from a tutor before embarking on boarding school life, being a delicate lad with a withered arm and lopsided face; and though he was not the most talented, his determination led to more success than might have been expected. He struck up a friendship with young Jasper Crouch-Jones, and with Ed Dinalt, despite Ed being a Slytherin and the other two being Gryffindors. Ed also attended the MSHG, delighted to find he had real relatives as well as much-loved adoptive parents; and drew in two more Slytherin, a friend of Hayley's – also Slytherin herself – and a girl called Peta Umbridge, the sister of one of the bullying Slytherin now in the fourth year. Naturally, the Gryffindor youngsters drew in several of their fellows, including a cousin of Ron's, a lad called Colin Weasley whose propensity to suffer accidents was equalled only by his soon best friend, young Crouch-Jones!

The MSHG were at first wary of a young girl rejoicing in the name of Precious Lockhart – the niece of Gilderoy – but she hated both the name and the notoriety of her uncle, and was delighted when Victor dubbed her 'Pris'.

"I declare, almost half the first year has joined the MSHG" said Krait happily "A clear sign of houses working together….to look at them you'd scarcely guess who was in what house but for the ties."

"Yes, they're all equally inept brewing potions" sighed Severus "Crouch-Jones and Weasley in a moment's complete inattention, managed to brew a pimple-removing cream that gave young Weasley the appearance of having Dragon Pox; and Emerald Lenoir managed to burn the bottom out of her cauldron AND set light to the bench. Young Ed has talent, Eustace Benton's a pedant who at least does what he's supposed to, and some of the Ravenclaws aren't totally despicable but on the whole…. Horace will be lucky to survive this intake without being blown up or poisoned with fumes" he brightened "But it's not my pigeon; I gloat. Oh how I gloat. Kipling. Which I read in self defence."

Krait laughed.

"Weasley moments AND Crouch-Jones moments? I shudder to imagine! Watch out for Cleon Tench; I heard Hayley and Emerald discussing him, he has it in for Ed because your cussed young cousin won't join his nasty little gang. He won't touch Em; she's rich, she's one of the disowned branch of the Black family, but watch our other nicer Slytherin. As prefect, I report this unofficially to my favourite House Master. I asked Argus to put Mrs Norris to keep an eye on him too; he's a nasty piece of work, and likes dirty tricks."

Severus nodded.

"I'll do that" he said. "At least none of MINE got hailed for back taxes!"

Krait chuckled. A Hufflepuff first year had been sent a Ministry Howler claiming he owed forty years back taxes, despite piping mournfully – and fruitlessly – at the talking letter that he was only eleven years old and had not been at work for forty years! Pomona Sprout had taken a dim view and had gone personally to give the writer of the Howler a piece of her mind for ineptitude!

On the whole the new academic year was going very well so far.

Krait reflected that once they had the horcruces gathered, the worst of her worries might be the Yule Ball!

-/-

Draco had his own plans too. He had been reflecting, since meeting Dudley Dursley, that the boy had much in common with Draco's own former personality; and accordingly wrote to Harry's cousin, a short but chatty note, asking if he had found time to exercise in the morning or whether he found it too daunting to go it alone. '_For what it's worth, if you feel like it, I shall think of you as I run, so you won't be entirely alone'_ Draco wrote.

Uncle Vernon was outraged at the arrival of an owl when his irritating nephew was not even in the house; but Dudley was flattered and touched that Draco – who he secretly admired – should take the trouble to write to him; and laboriously penned a reply, thanking Draco for his concern. '_I really will start now, please will you write sometimes?'_ he wrote _'It would be encouraging. I don't really know what you people do but I guess it's scarier than ordinary schoolwork. Them things that came to the alley was dead scary, I kind of forgot them straight away, but I've had dreams and I remember them, tell Harry he was pretty brave to stand up to them. I don't think they're just dreams, I couldn't dream anything that bad.'_

Draco blinked. The boy had resisted the modifications Krait had made to his memories; he had heard the story of the Dementors that Severus and Sirius had destroyed that had attacked Dudley. Maybe such things created too great an impression to be readily confunded away, especially in a hurry.

He showed the letter to Harry.

"It's a bit lukewarm in praise of you" he said critically.

Harry shook his head.

"From Dudley that's warm" he said "You're good to write to him, brother mine. Maybe he can be a nicer person if he has a decent friend in you; goodness knows, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have done him even less favours than they did me in their excesses of love for poor Diddykins."

"Diddykins? Poor brat!"

"Oh, his cronies call him 'Big D'; I guess he'd like you to, if you felt like it." Said Harry.

Draco nodded.

"I'll remember" he said

Harry chuckled.

"I'd give a cauldron full of galleons to have seen Uncle Vernon's face when the owl turned up with a message for Dudley!" he said "I bet he went purple and spluttered!"

Draco grinned.

"Somehow I hope so" he said "I took a firm and instant dislike to your uncle, Harry; and the concept of his discomfiture fills me with nothing but pleasure."

Harry grinned back.

"Yeah, me too!" he agreed "Maybe I'll write to Dudders too, and then Uncle Vernon will have more owls to drive him up the pole!"

The co-conspirators laughed again; it was good to find something to laugh about, even if it was only the mildly malicious concept of making unhappy someone they disliked. It gave Harry a stab of guilt when he reflected on it later; it was something his father James might have done. But then, Vernon had always gone out of his way to be unpleasant, even before Harry's own powers became apparent, it could not be written off merely as blustering to cover fear for his nephew's magical abilities. Harry consulted Severus.

"Am I being a bully?" he asked.

Severus snorted.

"There are some people who DO ask to be bullied – and those are bullies, Harry my boy" he said. "That fellow Dursley is an out-and-out bully. If he was here he'd have been a prime candidate for the worst side of Slytherin House, and an easy convert for Fishface. Crabbe and Goyle are models of gentle rectitude beside him and it is only that his lack of intellect very nearly approaches his deficiency in imagination that prevents him from being evil instead of merely nasty."

Harry grinned.

"Nice to have his character dissected in true Severine style" he said.

"I DO have my reputation to keep up!" laughed Severus.

_Kipling reference; 'Stalky and co'_


	19. Chapter 19

_**coarse language warning; this chapter has Mundungus Fletcher in it.**_

**Chapter 19: a load of Dung**

It was three days before Kreacher turned up and bowed sketchily to Sirius. "Fletcher knows how to avoid capture, has many hidey-holes and accomplices. But Kreacher has him cornered; the thief will be in the dungeon immediately."

"Excellent, well done!" said Sirius, and hurried to the dungeon, calling on the close Blooded.

-/-

The tangled mass of limbs that was Mundungus Fletcher in the tight grip of the elderly house elf arrived swearing out of thin air; and went for his wand the moment Kreacher disentangled himself to bow to Sirius. It was Hermione who cast _Expelliarmus_ and caught the thief's wand as it flew up into the air. Mundungus, wild-eyed, tried to break and run; but the solid bulks of Ron, Neville, Draco and Harry moved faster.

"What?" he cried "What have I done?" writhing as Severus took a firm hold of him. "Settin' a bleedin' house elf on me, wha've I done, lemme go, lemme go, or…"

"Or what, I hand you over to the aurors with a formal charge of theft from my house?" said Sirius furiously "I trusted you in Grimmauld Place, the whole Order trusted you, and now I learn you were stealing from me."

"Well you never cared about that junk, did yer?" said Fletcher sulkily, then howled as Kreacher picked up one of the shackles that lay about the floors and hit him with it. "Keep 'im orf me! Call 'im orf, 'e should be locked up! Bleedin' nutter of a house elf!"

"One more for luck, Master?" said Kreacher hopefully.

Sirius grinned.

"Why not?" he said.

Fletcher cringed and the elf hefted the heavy manacle again and struck as high as he could reach. As this was a rather tender place, Fletcher doubled up, retching.

All the males present winced; and Hermione, Krait and Bil grinned openly.

"That's enough, Kreacher, we need him conscious and able to answer questions" said Sirius. "Now, when you stripped my house, what did you do with a locket with a stylised 'S' on the front?"

"Why?" asked Mundungus "Is it valuable?"

"He's still got it!" said Hermione.

"Nah" said Ron shrewdly "He's wondering whether he should have asked more for it."

"More?" said Mundungus "That would've been effing difficult…. I 'and ter give it away. No choice!"

"What do you mean?" several people asked sharply.

"It were in Diagon Alley; this snoopin' witch asks me if I got a licence for trading in magical artifacts….bleedin' hag-spawn. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she'd take that and let me orf that time an' I should fink meself lucky."

"And who was this witch?" asked Harry, with a sudden bad feeling.

"I dunno, some Ministy bitch." He thought, wrinkling his brow. "Little woman; stupid bow on top of her head. Looked like a toad in a pink cardi."

There was a collective gasp.

"Umbridge!" said Harry.

"So" said Krait, coldly "We know she's out of commission; and no personal effects allowed in Azhkaban. "Right, Dung, Sirius will not pursue this matter – or any other minor unconsidered trifles you've nicked from him – IF you atone for this theft by re-stealing it from the witch's house. We can tell you where she lived; it should be easy enough."

"And I get to keep the goblets and the other rub – er, stuff?" asked Mundungus Fletcher eagerly.

Sirius sighed.

"I want to see the goblets in question; if none have any sentimental value to me and IF you manage to retrieve the locket, you may keep what you stole. Don't EVER steal from me again; or I'll order Kreacher to do whatever he likes to you."

Mundungus whinnied in terror.

"Awright….gimme the address, and I'll be back in two shakes!"

-/-

Another two days passed after Mundungus Fletcher was allowed to leave and Sirius was getting irritable.

"By Merlin, if he's decided to do a runner, he'll feel my wrath – or rather, he'll feel Kreacher's!" he growled.

"Kreacher will punish the thief!" squawked Kreacher, proud as punch to be able to work on Regulus' last orders; and to be given, on Krait's advice, the Black locket that Regulus had died to switch for the Horcrux. He wore it constantly.

"Doesn't it constitute clothes and make him free?" wondered Hermione.

"It's strictly speaking an accessory, not clothing" said Krait "But maybe, if he's allowed to continue to work for the Black family, Sirius will be able to reward him by giving him Regulus' old Slytherin scarf or something. Don't rush it."

"Kreacher doesn't want to be free, Miss Muggle-born" admonished the house elf. "But Kreacher DOES want to hurt the thief Fletcher."

"Another day" said Sirius "Maybe he ran into trouble."

Next day, an owl arrived for Sirius; a rather mangy looking bird. It brought a note from Mundungus.

"_Searched her house from top to bottom. No sign of the bleeding locket. What now?"_

Sirius cursed.

"Was she in possession of it when she was arrested?" asked Severus. "It might have been taken from her, and boxed up with her personal possessions pending her release from Azhkaban."

"I'd have seen it if she was wearing it in the class when I faked the Dark Mark on her" said Krait "And I reckon I'd have recognised it from Grimmauld Place, even though I didn't know it was my Grandmamma's. If she owned it then she wasn't wearing it."

Hermione was staring at her.

"Wait a minute – all her other clothes and things were left here when they took her away! Boxed up and put in the attics….do you mean to say it's possible it has been HERE all the time?"

Krait's mouth dropped open.

"Hermione! I believe you may be right! Well THAT's easy to find out…it's MY locket, it ought to respond to me…._accio locket!"_

"Which is all very well if it's not in a locked box" said Ron "Otherwise don't you think that my brothers would all have as easily retrieved their confiscated stuff and lost property from Argus Filch long since?"

"That's a point" said Krait. "Well, let's do it the muggle way by traipsing our poor little legs up to the attics and picking a few locks."

"Alohamora ought to work" said Hermione seriously.

"Though not as much fun…" Krait murmured.

"What shall I write to Dung?" said Sirius.

"Tell him to hold himself in waiting on our need for his skills; but that since he has failed we plan to try other means" said Krait. "Keep him on tenterhooks over whether you plan to let Kreacher loose on him. It might not be there; and then we can threaten to make him burgle the ministry."

Sirius chuckled nastily.

"That'd make him sweat!" he said cheerfully. "I'll hint at that in the letter. He'll be glad to be let off with returning my goblets with Kreacher to help him find them!"

-/-

It took several sweaty, cobwebby hours to find the box with Dolores Umbridge's possessions in it; and longer, in unpacking it, to let the boys get over their hilarity over her very frilly underwear.

Draco could not resist pulling on a pair of her knickers and one of her fluffiest cardigans and declaiming in his usual excellent mimicry of her high pitched voice

"Progress for progress sake must be discouraged! It is only proper that stupidity must be the rule of the day and that wizarding families must be allowed to go mad and die out from inbreeding rather than take on muggle blood!"

Harry shuddered.

"Too lifelike, Draco!" he said "Take them off; you don't look enough like a frog, and no Weasley moments to provide you with a model."

"Oy!" said Ron "Casting that up at me!"

"It was a damn good Weasley moment and gave us the Loo network" said Krait, hastily "Take them off, Draco, you might catch silly old bat-ness. I have the locket; it was in her jewel box."

Draco grinned cheerfully and complied.

"WELL!" said Hermione "So it WAS here all the time!"

"And a sight better than having to infiltrate the Ministry to get the stored effects of prisoners" said Harry in heartfelt relief. "How are we going to destroy it?"

"How did you destroy the diary, Harry?" asked Krait patiently.

"With the Basilisk tooth" said Harry.

"Which is where?"

"Chamber of Secrets" said Harry.

Ron groaned.

"After dragging all the way to the top of the castle we now have to drag all the way down to the bottom?"

"Spot on" said Krait.

Kreacher tugged at her robes.

"Miss Krait, Master Sirius promised Kreacher should help destroy it…it is Miss Krait's family locket, I heard you say?"

Krait nodded.

"And you shall, Kreacher; I want to be part of destroying it too, because it was my Grandmamma's; and I feel responsible. We'll do it together, hmm?"

Kreacher nodded ecstatically.

**-/-**

The locket was large; as big as a chicken's egg, the letter 'S' inscribed on it with tiny green stones that gleamed as well as they might in the grubby state in which the locket was. Krait could feel a malevolent pseudo intelligence to it as she carried it down, and exerted all her occlumency skills to resist its evil emanations.

They duly convened in the chamber of secrets, and Krait gave Kreacher one of the teeth to hold.

"You know, Albus destroyed the ring with Gryffindor's sword" said Severus "Goblin steel has significant magical properties…"

"It's more poetic to use the basilisk tooth" said Krait. "Because it's Salazar's snake and Salazar's locket and so he'd want to use his tools to put right the damage caused using his family heirlooms. It has SYMMETRY."

Hermione nodded.

"I agree. It is symbolically important" she said.

"I think we have to open it" said Harry "And then be prepared for it to attack us, like the book attacked…."

Krait nodded.

"It'll open for a Parselmouth…." She said "I KNOW that in my bones. It'll look for the HERO to attack, though; it'll go for Harry. I think that Riddle, who is an insignificant little creep who likes to look down on others would not even consider a house elf to be a risk" she smiled at Kreacher "So you SHOULD be safe. Sirius will stand by you and defend you while you destroy it."

"With my life if need be" growled Sirius "For what must be done; for what you tried to do before, and for my brother who tried to do right and died for it."

"MASTER!" gasped Kreacher, deeply moved.

"Don't get sentimental" grunted Sirius.

"On my mark…." Said Krait "Three…two….one….MARK_… __**ssss**__OPEN__**ssss**_ she added in Parseltongue.

Ghostly figures of Ron and Hermione appeared from the eye, Tom Riddle's eye, within the locket, as Harry too stood by. Each in turn accused Harry of letting them stand to take damage for him. Sirius too was taunted by a figure of his mother, and a brother still committed to the Death Eaters' cause. True to Krait's belief, the locket's malevolent intelligence concentrated on the minds of those humans present; and she gritted her teeth to ignore a shimmering and lordly Draco telling her that she would never be worthy to be his kin, and an equally exaggerated, sneering Severus pointing out that she was nothing compared to Lily.

"Strike, Kreacher" she said.

The tiny figure brought the basilisk tooth down on the locket.

The eye was gone; the glass in both halves broken, and the faded, rotting silk lining smoked gently.

"It is dead" said Krait softly. "Thank you Kreacher; you are the hero of the hour" and she kissed the wrinkled elf on the forehead.

Kreacher blushed.

"I done what Master ordered" he said with deep relief.

"You did" said Sirius "You did that well. I am well pleased with you Kreacher; and glad to be your master."

"Kreacher is proud to be Master Sirius' elf" said Kreacher "We didn't understand each other at first."

"Sirius was damaged by his stay in Azkaban" said Krait "It made him tetchy. I'm sure he's very sorry."

"Yeah" said Sirius "And I guess you were tetchy because of not being able to do as Regulus said. We're both nice as pie, now, right?"

"Kreacher is happy now" said Kreacher. "If Kreacher dies now, he will be ready to go."

"Kreacher is not likely to die now he's happy enough to eat properly" said Krait dryly. "Anyone mind if I keep the battered remains of my family locket? It was the inside that had to be destroyed…it's still Slytherin's locket on the outside."

"You keep it mate" said Ron "Poor little Merope would like to see it again I bet."

"Yes" said Krait "And if I survive this, I shall jolly well wear it too, once I've put the two halves back together. It's battle scarred; but then, being battlescarred sorts those of us who fight from the rest."

"That's three down; four to go" said Harry. "The cup; the snake; the watch; and – me."

"If Albus is right" said Krait. "He has an horridly bad habit of it though. Still" she brightened "If he IS right about that, he should also be right about it rebounding on Fishface and that HAS to be good."

"Yeah!" Harry brightened "I guess so!"

"And now" said Sirius silkily "I shall write again to Mundungus and tell him we have succeeded where he has failed because he is – how was it you put it to that group of errant would-be potioneers, Scales?"

"Inept, inutile, incompetent and in trouble" said Severus serenely.

"Kreacher can deliver the letter" said Sirius "And let him sweat about whether he is to bring Mundungus back as the reply."

Kreacher chuckled creakily. It was not a pleasant sound; but at least better than his previous whining monologues!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: A stowaway**

Krait was much relieved to be through that ordeal; destroying Merope's locket was traumatic of itself without the attendant drama of a horcrux fighting back, something she had not previously encountered. Now they had all felt the malevolence; even those of the Blood Group deemed too young to attend had felt some of the backwash and were forearmed should they find themselves in a similar situation. She was glad that there was not a sufficient connection to the conscious mind of Tom Riddle that he should be able to divine who his enemies were; nor even that the horcrux was destroyed. She was pondering on the means by which she might best mend the locket to wear while pruning shrivelfig in her next Herbology class, and accidentally ran a splinter into her finger.

She said a short and Anglo-Saxon word, and had to cut it out with her silver knife, hampered by the fairy that flew over to lap at the blood.

"Shoo!" said Krait, irritably..

The fairy pulled a face at her and reluctantly shoo'd.

Presumably the little creature was pregnant; they preferred blood to honey or nectar at that time. And how little like the cutesy fairies of muggle folk tales they are, reflected Krait; though the cutsification of fairies was just another example of making the little people in general of myth less frightening. An interesting expansion to the work 'Why Muggles Prefer not to Know' or whatever the book was called. Hermione would know! At least Lucius had communication with an important muggle who WAS prepared to know and who could arrange to lend them SAS troops if need be!

-/-

Another muggle who was cautiously prepared to know was Dudley.

The boy had seen the way Harry's friends treated each other; and though he was not in the habit of using his brains, he was astute enough to realise that they had something that he did not. And Draco wrote to him again, explaining something of how he had been a bully and had had his life turned around. Dudley wanted real friends; he knew his cronies would desert him in an instant if he ever failed to force his will upon them by being harder than them. He had missed an opportunity to have his cousin as a real friend and dimly he was beginning to recognise this. Draco was debating whether to invite Dudley to spend some of the Yule holiday at Malfoy Manor, with Harry; his mother could be squared to the idea of keeping a close eye on Harry, but his muggle cousin? That would be harder to explain away. If only his mother could be brought to the crunch of defying Voldemort! And yet….her horror over what he, Draco was supposed to do, to kill Dumbledore…Draco hoped to work on her concerning that over the holidays, playing with little Bella Black and murmuring what a sweet child she was and what horrible things the Dark Lord must have done. He had seen Krait's memories, wrested from Bella's adult mind, in the Pensieve; and was sickened. Perhaps he could beg Dumbledore to let him borrow the Pensieve to show his mother what was done to Bellatrix…..perhaps too he might use the command word directly on his mother to demonstrate to her what had been – almost certainly – done to her as it had been to his father, Severus and Bella and doubtless all the Deatheaters.

And there was also the trouble of who to take to the Yule Ball.

He was tempted to ask little Grace Snape; but she was so shy, placing her under that sort of attention scarcely seemed fair. Besides, as a third year she would not attend the ball as of right; he would ask her next year so she knew she would have someone safe to go with. Assuming they were still all alive for the next ball.

The best person to take was a fourth year with no attachments who was not likely to take it as a big romance; and Draco bethought him of a quiet and unassuming Hufflepuff girl in the MSHG, who was witty on the few occasions she did pipe up, and quite clearly followed most of even Hermione's involuted periods. Yes, he would take Claire Barrett, a chubby girl who did not make the most of herself.

That problem was sorted, though Pansy Parkinson's comments over NOT being invited to him would have to be lived through!

He would just invite Dudley for a few days near the end of the holidays and hope that Charlotte would stand his ally, and that he would have had a chance to talk to his mother by then. After all, she doted on him as much as Petunia doted on Dudley; and THAT would separate her from Fishface in the end.

-/-

It was frustrating to all the Kindred to wait until the end of term to seek other horcruces; though Quidditch did occupy their minds somewhat, in practising for the upcoming international matches, as well as for the house cup. The matter of disappearing food was also a matter of concern to the house elves, as Sirri told the others.

"We'll have to stand watch then" said Krait "It's probably some homesick first year, stuffing food to make up for loneliness and homesickness, but their problems must be addressed."

"We gives food to whoever asks for it!" said Sirri indignantly.

"Oh, but schoolchildren find stealing more fun" said Severus lazily.

Sirri gazed at him worshipfully and he gave her a fond if rueful smile.

"Why don't you get the free elves to watch and call us down when you find the culprit at it?" suggested Krait. "That way we can sort this out quietly and unofficially."

Sirri nodded.

"Beloc and our parents and Dobby will watch; and I think Kreacher will too now."

"Good" said Krait "But I think not Kreacher yet; he's coming on, but he's prejudiced – not unreasonably – against thieves and he might not be gentle even if gentleness is called for."

Sirri nodded.

Anything Krait said was right for her!

-/-

It was Beloc who laid hold of the youthful thief; and to his surprise the child was not old enough to be a Hogwarts student!

The lad, about nine years old, stood terrified in Severus' office, with a number of the older Kindred looking on. David had managed to get himself involved, having been working illicitly with Beloc.

"Don't be afraid lad" said Severus, not unkindly "What is your name and how do you come to be here?"

"M-my name's Jem Ingate, sir" said the lad "That's James Edward Ingate. And I'm not even really sure where 'here' is, 'cos there wasn't no castle next to the old orphanage on the outside."

Krait stiffened.

"You were in the old orphanage? I thought the authorities shut that place down?"

Jem looked scared.

"I didn't BREAK and enter!" he said "There was a broke window!"

"You are under the age of Mens Rhea anyway" said Krait dryly "You can't be charged with a criminal offence – even supposing we cared – until you are ten. You er, didn't break in to the orphanage then, and came through the door with lights on in the cupboard?"

Jem managed a shaky grin.

"Yeah" he said "I went in there to hide."

"Aren't your family going to worry?" asked Severus.

"Not hardly" snorted Jem "My da's only going to miss his punching bag when he sobers up enough to stand." He gulped "Though I wish I had George, Lucy and Paul here safe. That's my brothers and sister. I couldn't get back through the loo wall to fetch them you see when it was so nice here."

"I'll go see if his name's in the book" said Krait, whisking out. "Boys, feed him cocoa and find out his address; if he can see the magic door, he's supposed to be here, and if his dad is a drunken bully so do his siblings."

"At your command, oh Mistress of the Blue Horizons" said David. Krait put her tongue out at him, and whisked off, leaving the others to convince Jem that magic was real and that he could do it.

-/-

Jem's name was in the book; and so, further on, were his siblings. An Ingate earlier in the book by a generation had not taken up his place. When Krait returned with that news it was to find Severus grave, for Jem had told him that Lucy had trouble walking, having a club foot, and Paul was only a baby. His mother had sickened and died not long after the baby was born; and Jem had had to put up with more rages from his father as a result. A neighbour cared for the two youngest; but it seemed that there was talk of Social Services becoming involved and taking the children into care.

"From what the lad says, his father may have latent powers, but didn't ever use them because believing in magic is sissy; and takes out his frustrations in the bottle and with violence" said Severus, grimly. "He sounds like my father, who was frustrated in NOT being able to perform magic….he had limited abilities to see things though, goblins and house elves for example. There's not enough done about muggles with small talent."

"Or squibs or siblings of the talented" said Krait. "If Petunia had had a bit of attention when Lily came to Hogwarts, maybe Harry would have had an easier time of it; and if there'd been a special non-talented annexe where History of Magic and how to deal with the wizarding world were taught, she'd likely have picked herself a nice squib or brother of another student instead of the verminous Vernon."

"That's a very good point" said Severus. "Well, perhaps we can persuade the authorities to consider such when this business is all over; surely there will be less anti-muggle feeling when Riddle is gone."

"Dearest, when this is all over, if we survive WE shall effectively be the authorities – or at least able to dictate policy" said Krait, calmly "And I suggest we exploit that to the utmost to reform all the ills of society that we can. Harry will have tremendous kudos; what he suggests will be taken as law, you know."

"That is not a responsibility I fancy you know" said Harry.

"No; James would have, but you have more sense" said Severus "Lily would feel the same as you, but she would not have shirked the responsibility."

"I don't plan on shirking it Sev; but I surely could use plenty of advice" said Harry.

"You'll get that and in spades" Krait grinned "Your problem will be sorting out the sensible suggestions and implementing them and saying 'no' firmly to the more way out ideas that it's hard to refuse because friends make them. Some of us are a little radical."

"She means me" said Hermione.

"I meant me too actually" said Krait mildly "But as we girls are alive to our faults and aware of our passions we shan't be offended if Harry thinks our ideas are too extreme to take seriously, at least in the form we put them. And by the way, shall we go back to bed? Jem can kip on the sofa here or go with David into his dorm and we can steal his siblings tomorrow. I have Arithmancy first thing."

-/-

Severus left Sirius covering his classes next day and went to see Arthur Weasley, explaining the situation, with certain edited details. The Loo network was a Kindred secret; he merely hinted that the lad had found a way through the floo network.

"More kids for that poor child to take on?" said Arthur.

"Krait likes kids. She'd start her own orphanage at Hogwarts if I let her" said Severus. "It's not as if there weren't willing house elves to help; our four we er, rescued – and I'm not sharing the circumstances with you Arthur, no offence, but you don't want to know – are happy to help all they can. And we have a grandmother of one of my wards who is a jewel among women. The paperwork should be simple; a court order of custody to a relative of the mother, say."

Arthur nodded.

"Yes, that shouldn't be a problem….and if the child found a magic way to come to Hogwarts, he deserves to be there for certain. I'll have the paperwork for you in a brace of shakes, Severus." He paused "May I say, marriage to Krait has changed you – you're a more compassionate person than you used to be."

Severus shrugged.

"Having someone to share with and that you know cares for you does help" he said "But if you ever use the word 'nice' in connection with me, Arthur we shall fall out. I am not 'nice'. I am bad tempered and malicious. A whole generation of schoolchildren can't be wrong you know."

Arthur laughed.

"Oh I shall safeguard your reputation, Severus" he said "But I can see what I can see. And I can also see that you've stopped seeing James when you look at Harry. I don't know what was between you and James but it worried me that you laid it at Harry's door too."

"I suppose we can all get fixed ideas and make mistakes – even me" said Severus, looking down his nose in defence. "Was that paperwork going to be sorted any time in the next century?"

Arthur flushed and set to work quickly. Severus might have improved but he was still sarcastic, by Merlin!

-/-

Severus returned late in the afternoon with three children, two of them in his arms and the other clinging to his robe. He handed them into the care of Gran.

"Lucy's foot has been sorted out by St Mungo's" he said "Krait could probably have done it but I wanted to get it done soonest. They are traumatised by the death of their mother as well as the violence of their father."

"poor mites" said Gran "Come to Gran for a cuddle!"

Severus grinned.

With Gran on the case, other children, and Krait's own touch the little ones would soon settle in!


	21. Chapter 21

_**This is a long one; I didn't think it broke easily.**_

**Chapter 21: Tea and Tales with Albus**

Dumbledore spoke seriously to Draco.

"You are supposed to be killing me; I doubt that Riddle seriously believes you will have succeeded by the Yule holidays" the headmaster said "It will be quite all right, should he question you, to stammer and tell him you have not had the opportunity. He will think you weak, but it will be only as he expects. We need to get the timing of the faked death precisely worked out; and I would prefer to wait until we have possession of the other horcruces."

Draco nodded.

"I thought of supposedly luring you to the Forbidden Forest and leaving the rest to Grawp" he said. "That takes care of a lack of body….if you were torn apart."

Dumbledore nodded.

"That has some merit….though a spectacular fall from a tower would achieve more publicity and be more certain to the mind of our enemy" he said "Krait has made a body before now….her skills at transfiguration are quite remarkable."

"She is good, isn't she?" said Draco. "I take it that your death would act as a trigger for him to move more into the open."

Dumbledore nodded.

"He fears me" he said. "We can expect that after my – death – there will be more measures against those not of relatively pure blood; and there WILL be publicity to discredit me."

"Well that'll be lies then" said Draco.

"No" said Dumbledore "Not entirely. One of the reasons I have always hoped you would turn yourself around – and been delighted that you have – is because I see much of myself in you. I was arrogant and ambitious as a youth; and I had grandiose ideas of controlling muggles, though in my defence it was only for their own good – as I saw it. It is why I do not wish to be a part of the Ministry; I am not to be trusted with power. I can get carried away for what I believe is the right reasons. You have been taught to use some restraint – admittedly in order to avoid your father being caught out as a Deatheater – and would be safer given position than I. And Harry is a modest lad, unlikely to abuse any power he gains. Draco, my boy, I was once friendly with Grindelwald; we had similar ideas. It was only later that I was horrified to find out that his ideals were….darker…than mine. I have…family secrets that I am ashamed of; the death of a sister which was, if only indirectly, my fault and maybe not indirectly. I tell you this because you too have seen through false ideals and YOU have been big enough to put them aside without the shock of hurting someone you love. I… I have been too much of a coward to tell Harry; I confess I fear falling from the pedestal he places me on in his heart. You and I have always had a more…distant relationship."

"Sir, you are no coward!" cried Draco "And Harry is not about to stop thinking you special just because you may have screwed up when you were younger; he's bigger than that!"

Dumbledore gave a little smile.

"Perhaps you are right….well, perhaps I shall have to tell the Kindred a story at some point" he said. "I persuaded Severus to share his past with Harry after all; it would scarcely be fair if I did not do the same."

-/-

The Kindred sat respectfully in Albus Dumbledore's office drinking tea. If they preferred cocoa in Severus' dungeon they were polite enough not to say so; Dumbledore looked strained and white.

"This is not easy" he said "I must tell you that I was a proud and foolish youth, more concerned with winning magical prizes and showing off my skill than in the things of real value; it has coloured all my life since. I have a brother Aberforth, as you know; and I also had a sister, Ariana. She was beautiful and talented; and started displaying her talent at about six or seven as is normal. However, she was seen doing magic in the garden by three muggle youths; and they broke in and tried to force her to show them how to do the 'tricks' she did. When she couldn't, they determined to punish the little – freak – as so many muggles call us, as Petunia called Lily I believe, in her jealousy."

"Was she jealous?" asked Harry. He knew what it sounded like to have Petunia use the word 'freak'.

"Oh yes; she wrote to me and asked if she might not come to Hogwarts too" said Dumbledore.

"We were thinking about that" said Krait "It seemed to be a good idea to think about an annexe for the untalented siblings of talented muggleborn, that could also take squibs, so they learn about our world but do muggle lessons alongside. And for that matter, nothing wrong with a muggle well versed in the theory of arithmancy to run calculations for the talented but less clever members of our society."

"An interesting notion, my dear" said Dumbledore. "I like it….but to return to my story, for I want to tell it quickly."

"Sorry" said Krait.

"No apology necessary…the muggles hurt Ariana so badly she was driven…insane" said the headmaster flatly. "My father was incensed; he punished them, and was duly sent to Azkaban for muggle-torture. He would not say why he had done it, because Ariana would have been dragged off and locked up in St Mungos's all her life…..she had not lost the ability to do magic but she would not use it, which was worse, because she drove it inwards, and sometimes it would break out in….dangerous ways. It was in one of these fits of madness she accidentally killed our mother" he sighed and passed a hand across his face. "I confess to resentment…. I had been planning to travel the world with a friend, but instead I had to be my sister's carer. I said I was a proud and insensitive youngster. And then Gellert Grindlewald came to Godric's Hollow where we had moved to…"

Harry made an involuntary exclamation at the name of his parents' home village. Dumbledore smiled at him wearily.

"Yes, Godric's Hollow…it has a large wizarding community. How could it be otherwise when it is named now after its most famous son, Godric Gryffindor?"

"I guess I never thought of that…. It's just a name to me, where I was born…" said Harry.

"I suppose so…anyway, Grindlewald came to visit a relative and we became friendly, discussing the ways and means to improve the world for the greater good; and what a trap those words can be! Who is truly wise enough to decide what the greater good really is?"

"The mandate of the masses is usually a pretty good arbiter – providing the masses have been kept truly informed and are not brainwashed" said Krait dryly. "I guess such things should not be in the hands of a small number of arbiters; which is why we want to reform the way the Wizarding World is organised, in England at least, and have more representation from the non wand-wielding like goblins and elves and squibs."

"Well, at seventeen I thought I knew best I'm afraid, without recourse to others" said Dumbledore. "I believed, I truly believed that if we ruled muggles for their own good, and did not have to hide any more, my sister would not have to be hidden any more either…it was foolish wishful thinking, dangerous and immature, and that I now understand. And when it was almost time for Aberforth to return to Hogwarts after the holiday, he confronted us, telling me that I needed to give more time to Ariana when he was not there to care for her, and stop my time wasting and neglect of her with idiotic grand plans. He was right; Aberforth is a better man than I. Anyway, Grindlewald used the cruciatus curse on my brother, which is what started opening my eyes to the flaws in him I had been firmly pretending to myself I could not see; and….and it got out of hand in a duel. Which upset Ariana, and she started uncontrolled spell slinging; and at some point someone threw a curse that she got in the way of" he swallowed hard "And she was dead. Which stopped us in our tracks. Grindlewald fled; he already had a record and did not want to be accused of her murder. Except that I have never known – and never will know – which of us did it. Whether I killed my own sister. So now you know why I will NOT take a position in government; I am not to be trusted."

"Sir, we appreciate your bravery in sharing that terrible time with us" said David in the horrified silence. "It also explains why you are chary of letting younger ones have any part in doing stuff I guess."

"Save that we end up butting in anyhow and maybe with less information than we need" said Hermione. "It's a pity your father didn't just beat the muggle brats up physically; if he'd been around not in Azkaban you'd have had a proper role model to steer you away from such a dangerous friend."

"I don't suppose it ever occurred to him that punishment could be enacted in any other way than with a wand" said Dumbledore. "It would not be MY first reaction I have to say to get physical."

"Which is why most wizards are as blind and ignorant as most muggles" said Krait dryly. "And why the MSHG is so successful; because we combine Kung Fu with wand work. Albus, it may not be much comfort, but it has given you the inside understanding of how easy it is to be led astray to have compassion for Severus and Lucius. You know from within how a fascinating and evil companion with charisma can lead a vulnerable youth into profound temptation; because you know deep down that without the shock of Ariana's death you might even now be co-head of an organisation that makes the Deatheaters look like pussycats, especially if allied to the Nazis as Grindlewald intended."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Harry? Can you forgive me for not being what you thought?" his bright blue eyes were unwontedly pleading.

Harry regarded him thoughtfully.

"A year ago, Albus, I'd have been devastated" he said candidly "Now? Now I'm old enough to realise that unblemished heroes are for story books, and that real heroes are the ones who can overcome themselves. Like Severus; who is the bravest man I know."

"He's quite a man is our Harry" said Severus, blinking hard.

"Thank you Harry" said Dumbledore. "There is more however; and this is something that I think will fascinate Riddle. One of the things I was fascinated by all my life – as was Grindlewald – were the three deathly Hallows, created by the brothers Peverell."

"Peverell as in the ancestors of Gaunt?" queried Krait, sitting forward intently.

"Quite so" said Dumbledore. "Are any of you familiar with Beedle the Bard's 'Tale of Three Brothers?"

"No" said Harry and David.

"Yes" said Hermione and Ron.

"A children's tale? I've read it to the kids" said Krait.

"Perhaps you'll summarise for those who do not know it" said Dumbledore.

Krait nodded.

"Bear in mind it's a fairy tale….the three brothers are travelling"

"At midnight down a lonely road" put in Ron

"Twilight" corrected Hermione.

"I don't really think it matters" said Krait.

"Midnight's more creepy" said Ron.

"Do YOU want to tell this? No? Then don't interrupt" said Krait waspishly. "Any of you. Anyway. They get to a river and use magic to make a bridge, and meet Death himself in the middle 'cos he's peeved to be done out of three drowning victims. And he pretended to flatter them and offered each a gift. And the eldest was combative and Gryffindor like and asked for a wand that was more powerful than any other, and Death made one from an elder twig; and the second was stuck up enough to want to humiliate Death further – Ravenclaw I guess – and asked for a device to recall others from death, so Death gave him an enchanted stone. And the youngest, who was a canny little bastard, and probably a Slytherin, asked for a means to leave that place without being followed by Death, so Death gave him his own invisibility cloak. Subsequently they parted, and the eldest duelled and killed a man, was stupid enough to boast about his wand and got murdered in his drunken stupor for it, so Death won that one. The second turned the stone thrice and got back the dead girl he loved, but she was sad and cold – having passed over of course – so he killed himself to be with her and Death got him too. And Death never found the third who only took off the cloak in his old age and gave it to his son and greeted Death willingly as a friend, though how he managed to woo a girl and get her with child inside of an invisibility cloak is a rummun if you ask me" finished Krait.

"So what has that to do with anything?" asked Ron.

"Most invisibility cloaks – rare enough though they are – are nothing more than cloaks imbued with a Bedazzling Hex, or a Disillusionment Charm or woven from Demiguise hair, which loses its magic with age" said Dumbledore. "The true cloak truly renders the wearer invisible, enduring eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment. Your cloak, Harry."

"You mean the fairy tale is TRUE?" Hermione was sceptical.

"Not word for word; but the Peverell brothers crafted three unique items" said Dumbledore calmly.

"The Peverell Ring? The stone that was a Horcrux?" Demanded Krait.

"Is indeed the stone of resurrection" said Dumbledore "And THAT is why I was stupid enough to put it on….to try once again to see Ariana.. I was sorely tempted….."

"Idiot" said Severus. "But for the Blood Group…."

"But for the Blood Group I should have succumbed to the warped nature of it as a horcrux, and perhaps had a year at most to live, even with your skilled intervention, Severus my boy; I could feel its poison in my body, reversing the nature of the stone itself….making life easier for Draco in terms of having to supposedly kill me, though I'd have asked you to do it Severus rather than scar his soul…"

"Whereas mine is already damaged? Yes that would make sense…but Riddle has no idea what the ring was, surely, or he'd not have made it a horcrux" said Severus.

"No; he did not" said Dumbledore. "Equally, it is not the cloak for which he hankers…..it is the elder wand."

"And I suppose you know where that is?" said Sirius ironically.

"Of course I do. It's here!" Dumbledore touched the wand at his belt.

"How did you come by it sir?" asked Harry.

"A wandmaker named Gregorovitch had it in his possession, to study….Grindlewald took it from him. When I defeated and confined Grindlewald, I took it."

"So all the legends that the Elder Wand or Deathstick only passes to a new owner when the previous is killed are inaccurate?" queried Hermione.

"Quite so" said Dumbledore "Defeat is sufficient."

"Has Riddle any idea you have it?" demanded Harry.

"I suspect so….even Grindlewald would not permit HIS style of rulership and would not impart the information as to where it might be – Riddle murdered Gregorovitch to try to obtain it and probably learned who had taken it from him – but I'm sure he suspects. "

"But" said Harry "If he believes you need to kill the owner, and DRACO is supposed to kill you, doesn't that make Draco – if he did what he's going to pretend to do – the owner of the wand, and not Riddle?"

"And Draco would be expected to be no hard target for Riddle to kill, defeating the next owner" said Dumbledore.

"And that makes the timing more important still!" said Draco excited "Albus supposedly dead, and THEN I send him frothing and incandescent in fury by confessing to be Convolvumort and bring him haring down to Malfoy Manor to murder me, but my dad had Harry as a placatory gesture…. For Harry to not-die willingly."

"Unless he decides to kill you first anyway to ensure mastery of the wand" said Harry.

"That'd be a bummer, Draco mate" said Ron.

Krait shook her head.

"The elder wand would be to meet others in battle….he'd kill Harry first to deal with him, in case Lucius decided his son was more important and slipped the Boy-Who-Lived a wand" she said.

"I think" said Severus "That we will let Riddle know that you had help killing Dumbledore….Narcissa did ask me to help after all. As he would expect. He will attempt to kill ME for control of the Master Wand; and not directly either. He has respect for my abilities…. I think he will use Nagini. As I think he might send her surreptitiously to bite Draco if he believed HIM to be in command of this elder wand. Draco, you will carry an antidote to that dratted snake's poison at all times."

"I certainly shall, Domine!" said Draco fervently.

"Aren't we taking a lot of notice of what is, after all, a fairy tale?" asked Sirius, sceptically "It's surely an old wives' tale and at least half superstition like May-born witches marry muggles, or wands made of elder never prosper.."

"Even if it was twaddle – and it may be exaggerated, for belief in himself is at least part of how good a wand wielder is, so he's likely to be better even if he only BELIEVES he has a superior wand , and there ARE other invisibility cloaks even if Harry's is better than most – where was I? Oh yes, if it is twaddle, it doesn't matter does it if RIDDLE believes in it. Don't forget, he has NOT been reared with wizarding superstitions or fairy tales. To him it is myth, not a tale learned at his mother's knee. It's a moral tale, I take it, that you are supposed to see the wisdom of the third brother in avoiding trouble not embracing it, which proves he's no Gryff."

"I'd choose the stone" said Harry, wistfully "To see my parents…."

"Reckon it'd be a pretty painful thing to be forced back from the other side" said Krait gently "Do you think they'd really thank you for that?"

Harry hunched a shoulder.

"Maybe not…"

"With a master wand – if it is no twaddle – you'd not NEED to hide!" said Ron.

"But we've got out of more trouble with the cloak than any wand work could" said Hermione.

"It's not the question of which is best" said Krait patiently "But which one RIDDLE thinks is best and how to exploit his singleminded pursuit of it. Isn't it, Albus?"

"Precisely" said Dumbledore. "In my estimation the wand is the least valuable of the three – which is why I have had no qualms keeping it – and the cloak the most powerful. Which is why I asked James if I could examine it….and still had it in my possession when Riddle found his way into the house at Godric's Hollow under the guidance of the unfortunate secret keeper Peter Pettigrew."

Harry felt his ears roar and the ground spin.

"You mean…if they had it they might have hidden and still been alive?"

Dumbledore hung his head.

"It crossed my mind" he said.

"No" said Sirius. "James would never have hidden when there was a fight on hand; and Lily would not have managed to resist backing him up. She might have left Harry under the cloak for his protection; and then, either he would have made a noise, being too young to know not to, and been discovered: or he would have lived but not been the Boy-That-Lived, not had the protection of Lily's blood sacrifice. And not been our last best hope by having insights into Riddle's diseased little brain."

"He's right" said Severus. "The cloak would not have made an iota of difference to their survival; it might even have been the death of Harry too, and Riddle then in possession of it too. You did the right thing, Albus, even if it wasn't at the time for the right reason."

"Sometimes things like that make me think maybe there is a God after all; or at least a benevolent streak to the universe as a whole" said Krait.

Harry nodded.

"And you had it to pass to me, almost as the symbol of my father's mantle passing to me as the next generation to fight" he said .

"Ain't mantle another word for cloak?" asked Ron, puzzled.

"MUGGLE tales" said Krait "When a prophet died he handed his cloak, quite literally, to his chosen successor to wear as a symbol of being chosen."

"Oh!" said Ron "I guess that makes sense."

"Many things make sense now we're getting to the bottom of the motives and past of our main protagonists" said Krait happily. "Whoever controls the present controls the past; and whoever controls the past controls the future. From the book '1984' by George Orwell. It's very true. Knowing the truth of the past allows us to act for the future."

"And equally" said Dumbledore, dryly, "The Ministry who control the present do tend to edit the past for their own ends."

"And with potentially disastrous consequences" growled Sirius "Making out that Harry was insane, refusing to believe the truth and putting a damaging slant on everything he has ever done."

"And it would have been far, far worse had Rita Skeeter been around" said Hermione, happily.

"What DID you do with her? I thought you were going to blackmail her" said Draco.

Hermione smiled.

"Oh, since she liked so much being a beetle, I sold her to a bug expert at Colchester Zoo who has tanks full of bugs….all too small for her to change to human form in" she said sweetly. "I daresay she'll manage to escape one day; but I bet it'll take a while."

"Blimey!" said Krait "And I though I was the ruthless one!"

_putting fingers in ears as everyone says 'well FINALLY' about Albus having more sense than pride_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Werewolf Hunting**

The Yule Ball was rapidly approaching; and school went with a swing, the youngsters excited by the approach of the holidays and – first years in particular – eager to tell their parents all about what they had been up to. David was pleased to help out when Hagrid turned up asking for help because a muggle fell walker had collapsed into his cottage and asked for a telephone to call for help for his friend, out on the moor with a broken leg. David 'went dog' as he called it to use geomancy to track the injured man, so Hagrid might carry him back to warmth and safety at least, then asked Sirius to accompany him to the nearest village to inform someone in authority. Sirius was capable of dealing with muggles; Hagrid was a little too much for most muggles to take. Fortunately the Village policeman, a man named Trumball, was a sensible fellow and cautiously drove his police Land Rover cross country to fetch the climbers to a place more convenient for an ambulance to reach. If the assorted Quidditch teams were unhappy to have their pitch driven across by a muggle car, it was not, as David pointed out, as vital to have it undamaged as the muggle game cricket. The MSHG immediately clamoured for a cricket team, and David told them severely that it was a summer game. The Trumballs had lived in the village for generations; and it was no surprise to David that the Sergeant's daughter was on the Hogwarts' list for the next academic year. Camburnath Village was in easy broom ride of a randy young wizard who did not fancy Hogsmead, and Alice had white blonde hair and big violet-blue eyes, and her father's colouring much the same though he was more weatherbeaten than the average Malfoy. David planned to meet with Alice before she started school – assuming her father permitted her to come – and explain a few things! As he explained to Ellie – inclined to be jealous and trying to hide it –

"Alice is about the age my little sister would have been, who was killed in the car crash with my parents. I can be a big brother to her."

"And I'll help you show her about too" said Ellie, loyally.

With no more excitement than this, the ball duly took place; Hermione and Ron going together, Harry and Ginny, Draco with his plain Hufflepuff friend and Krait went with Neville, out of sheer friendship. She wore a new gown, having bought herself a hand sewing machine from an antique shop to use where electricity would be disrupted by magic. This gown was deep violet silk, the colour of her eyes, trimmed with velvet and silver embroidery, done beautifully by Adalheid Von Strang, who liked to do what she could to say thank you for the rescue of herself and her children. Pansy Parkinson was, once again, overdressed, and fuming that Draco had not even asked her to the ball.

"You needn't think he'll marry you" she hissed venomously to Claire.

"I'm not stupid enough to expect him to" said Clair calmly "Why, did you have ambitions there yourself? Forget it, I'm only plain, you go out of your way to uglify yourself."

Pansy spluttered.

"Ladies, time out, end of round one" said Draco as if they were in a wand duel. "That was Claire's round on points; and I'm not marrying anybody."

It was scenes like that which made Krait disapprove of the whole concept of the ball; but she could see the point of holding it. It meant training in social graces to fit young people to deal with society when they left school; and hopefully got them through the worst acts of gaucheness before being in the eyes of society. It drove home once again that Hogwarts really was a school for what were essentially the cream of society; even the poverty-stricken Weasleys were only poverty stricken by comparison to their fellows, for Arthur had a good steady white-collar job. Krait was willing to bet Stan Shunpike had never been to Hogwarts; and wondered what poorer still wizards and witches did. It was something to be investigated.

And then it was the holidays; and the serious work of looking for the last horcruces could begin.

-/-

David was excited and not a little nervous. This was the first truly dangerous mission he had been on; and as one of the two talented geomancers he was to take something of a lead with Sirius Black. The older wizard grinned at him reassuringly.

"If there's fighting, us older ones will take a lead" he said.

"Not if there's werewolves" said David "I'm the best shot."

They had apparated across Europe to Albania and were following up the itinerary of Bertha Jorkins. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were with them; and they were acting under such information as Krait had seen peripherally when she spoke to Wormtail in Azkaban, how he had hidden his Dark Master in an old concrete bunker left over from the Second World War. David had used the internet to find the locations of as many as he could, on history sites; and that too had narrowed the area to search. Wormtail had let slip too that they had had some support from a local werewolf who had loaned his house elf to Voldemort.

Sirius gave a sudden growl that was as doglike as if he had been in his alternate form.

"This place has his stench!" he said.

"And I smell werewolves too" said Remus Lupin. "This whole area is dead….we're on the right track."

"This should be on the line of defences" said David "There's a house over there, a bit tumbledown; we need to avoid notice in case there's anyone living there."

"Too late"

The harsh grating voice spoke behind him; and David spun round to see the sneering face of a man dressed after the distinctive fashion of the wizarding world, with three companions. They were already starting to transform.

"Lunch!" laughed one.

Sirius and the other adult wizards started to go for their wands.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ said the lead werewolf, and Sirius' wand flew from his hand.

David acted instinctively; and depressed the trigger of the AK47 he was carrying.

The automatic weapon spat silver-filled death with a gutteral chatter.

Lupin stared as the werewolves screamed and writhed as wounds normally able to heal burned from the touch of silver in the bullets; and licked his lips nervously. David emptied the magazine, set faced and grim; and quickly reversed it to insert the second magazine taped upside-down to the first for speed of changing.

It was not necessary.

The time bought by his firing allowed the other wizards to put their wands to the werewolves and finish them off.

"You really are a very frightening young man, Mr Fraser" said Lupin.

David was hurt.

"I'm only doing my best to win this war" he said. "we use such talents as we have at our disposal, don't we?"

"We do indeed… I meant no offence" said Lupin.

"He's a good boy, Moonie; we've learned a lot from him" said Sirius.

"But not how to use physical means first and wands after" said David tartly.

"It worked. They seemed to appear out of thin air….but I heard no sound of apparating."

"Air shaft I expect" said David, sounding calmer than he felt. "Look around for a hole in the ground on or just beyond that ridge they appeared from, Padfoot; I reckon it's disguised but it'll be there."

The shaft was left open for the werewolves to come out of; and the four descended quietly.

"Let me go ahead" said Kinglsey "I think I'm the most quiet."

Sirius shrugged.

Kinglsey was a good sort; and he was the Auror amongst them. David's calm killing of the werewolves by muggle means had plainly shaken the Auror and he wanted to feel more in control. Sirius would live with that.

-/-

The room occupied once by the travesty homunculus that had been the form of Voldemort was apparent.

"If it didn't stink of Wormtail I think I'd recognise his lack of housekeeping abilities" said Sirius grimly. "If the cup is in Albania I should think it would be here."

"Suppose the werewolf took it for his own, or took it into safekeeping for Fishface?" suggested David.

"Then we look further…there's a trail that leads towards the house in this underground passage, do you smell it?" asked Sirius.

David changed form and nodded.

"Let us search here first" said Remus "It won't take long. If we don't find it, that will be time enough to go on to search the house."

Sirius nodded; and they duly ransacked the few meagre possessions – mostly of Peter Pettigrew – that remained in this depressing underground holdout.

There was nothing that resembled a chalice; only a tin mug which David reckoned had been left behind by the occupying Italian army in the 1930's when they used them to man the Greek border. He felt Sirius was wasting his time in trying spells to remove illusion. Sometimes a battered old cup was just a battered old cup.

Sirius gave up.

"It's no more than what it seems" he growled.

"Yes" said David "Neither Riddle nor Pettigrew would know enough to put a symbol of the ROYAL Italian Army on it; it was before the rise of Il Duce. And as you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, I somehow doubt he would have either."

"Why didn't you say?" snapped Sirius.

"You were having such fun swearing at it I didn't like to interrupt" said David. Sirius glared at him.

"It's easy to see YOU'RE Krait and Scales' protégé" he grunted. "all right, let's follow this passage."

-/-

The passageway led to a more amateurish delving that led up to the tumbledown house. The only occupant was a terrified female house elf who was suspiciously heavily pregnant. David stayed to talk to her as the adults searched the house for other werewolves.

"Which of those creeps forced himself on you?" asked David, bluntly, having heard something of Sirri's story.

The elf started to bang her head on the floor.

"Stop! You don't belong to them any more, they're dead!" said David

"Dead? Lissi hasn't got a master?" she whispered.

"You're free – if you want to be" said David "Or you could work for Kingsley; he could probably do with the aid of an elf." It struck him that an Auror would be likely to need the services of a house elf and their peculiar talents. "Who got you pregnant?"

"It was the Dark One" she whispered "He sent for Lissi in his new home and transfigured me to look human; he wanted entertaining. Lissi does her best to entertain but he sent Lissi away, Lissi didn't please him. Lissi is scared this thing in her will kill her!"

"We'll take you to St Mungo's for a medical apparation" said David firmly. "And your baby can grow up free, you know, if you like."

"Oh please little master, just take it away; I don't want nothing of it!" Lissi sobbed.

David nodded.

"I know someone who'll care for it" he said soothingly.

Krait would readily take on another half brother or sister.

It seemed that being oversexed was not confined to power hungry muggles; and the creep had not cared if his – entertainment – had lived or died.

-/-

There did not seem to be a cup here either; the werewolves were plainly living from hand to mouth – or paw to mouth, as Lupin said dryly – and were unlikely to be considering this their little residence in the country.

"No second home then?" quipped Sirius.

"Not unless you count the shallow grave we dug for them" said Remus.

"So we've wasted our time" said Kingsley.

"Not really" said David "We've rescued Lissi and killed four of Fishface's supporters. That's got to be worth something. Next stop St Mungo's?"

Kingsley was more than willing to accept the services of Lissi – too scared to be free – once she had had her baby medically apparated. He was equally glad that there was likely to be someone who would take responsibility for a halfbreed baby.

"It's not legal, I'm sure" he said, disapprovingly.

"And when has THAT ever stopped Fishface?" demanded David. "By comparison to murder and terror spreading I'd have said it was the least of his illegalities."

"It's not illegal" said Remus "I looked up the statutes on who may marry or have a child with whom. House elves aren't even mentioned. No one even considered it; presumably if some git screws his elf, the probability is that she and her brat will both die so there's no embarrassing aftermath. After all, who cares about elves?

"Hermione and Krait so are going to have hissy fits about that" said David.

"So are werewolves banned from marrying scions of the family Black?" asked Sirius.

Remus jumped.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was waiting for you to make an honest woman of my cousin Tonks actually" drawled Sirius "She's head over heels in love with you and I don't like her having her affections trifled with…."

"But it's not really right…me being what I am…"

"What you are, Moonie, is a good friend and a brave Gryffindor and the man my cousin has chosen" said Sirius, giving his friend a rough embrace "So just get on and propose, huh?"

"If you think…"

"I do."

_I invented Camburnath which is Gaelic for 'settlement of the crooked stream'. It was one of those whimsical ideas that I got a lot of mileage out of later on. And if anyone wants to know, the Landrover is a Defender 110_

_The Italian Army moved into occupation of Albania in 1927 when it was a protectorate of the Kingdom of Italy then ruled by Victor Immanuel III before the rise of Benito Mussolini aka Il Duce. Why do I do this when Google is your friend?_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Krait gets bossy**

Krait was very thoughtful when David reported to those of the Kindred as were holidaying at school and told the story of Lissi; she seemed more interested in that than the non appearance of Helga Hufflepuff's cup.

"Any elf in the bloodgroup should have picked up enough about transfiguration to take a second form then, that's bigger" she said, looking thoughtfully at Sirri "If they so wanted."

Sirri flushed.

"Looking human you mean?" she spoke up.

"Not necessarily; anyone who was fond of you would love your sweet face the way it is. But you might just want a bigger body."

Severus was looking startled.

"_**Krait**_…." His mind voice was faintly protesting.

"_**Have we any right to deny her some happiness? We love her dearly. It may not be the same as what you and I have, but I think any one of us loves any member of the Blood Group more than happens in most marriages"**_ Krait replied. Severus was struck by this.

"_**I suppose so; though I have to say there are those I feel closer to than others. Sirri I could love enough to live with but the thought of being effectively married to Hermione is frankly terrifing! Ron is a brave man! And of course some are in the position of being more our children than anything else…"**_

"_**We'll all pair off according to our personalities and still feel love that has no sexual component for the rest; but she is sweet, and she loves our children dearly, and Mimi needs a daddy; I'm prepared to share you because I know I have more of you than any other woman could. I already share you with Lily in a way; go ahead. She needs love and she needs an equal. Where would she find that amongst house elves? Only Dobby comes close and he's not interested in settling down. And Beloc is her brother."**_

Severus nodded; and smiled kindly at Sirri, who was watching anxiously, aware instinctively that they were communicating about her.

"The question is, while we were farting about in Albania we wasted time; and I'm wondering what the hell he did with the cup" Sirius interrupted. "I'm off with Harry to Godric's Hollow in the morning, and I'm hoping that won't be another hollow mission, no pun intended."

"Lemme think a minute here" said Krait cracking her knuckles thoughtfully. "He left the ring in the house of his mother. He placed the locket in a place he visited when he was a child. He put the book in the care of a trusted subordinate – and since he was furious about how Lucius let him down over that, if he'd done the same with anything else, I swear he'd get it back pretty quick. I am certain he'd leave the watch – because it would amuse him that Harry would guard his own downfall from sentiment. Where else was significant to him as a child and in his background?"

"The Riddle House; and Hogwarts" said Severus softly.

"Well we can't search the Riddle House; despite Aurors poking around the neighbourhood he's hung tight there because we wanted him where we know where he is" said Krait "And to all intents and purposes he's a wealthy and respectable muggle anyhow. Thanks to the machinations of yours truly. He thinks himself safe there. But I wonder if his visit to Dumbledore to ask for a job was an excuse to enter Hogwarts and hide something?"

"Search all of Hogwarts?" Severus was horrified "I wager he knew more of its secrets than me, the Marauders, Harry and co and the New Marauders all put together!"

"Accio Horcrux is too simple I suppose?" said Harry.

"If he hid it, he'd have hidden it well" said Beloc "There's plenty of hidey holes around this castle that can be closed behind doors and some rooms you come across entirely by surprise behind mirrors and down blind passageways."

"What about the room of requirements?" asked Harry "You get whatever you require there you know…I've used it to hide stuff in, and we hid there with the extended MSHG when Umbridge was there…."

"He may not be academic but he has his moments" said Severus. "Harry, that is a thought of genius."

"Don't forget I also have a bit of him in my head" said Harry. "I guess sometimes if I concentrate I can think a bit like him…. I just prefer not to. It's not very nice."

"Then think like him to bring up the room as required to hide a horcrux" said Severus softly "And see what you may find."

They pelted up the stairs – or rather, the younger ones pelted, the adults followed a little more sedately – to the corridor where the room of requirements was situated.

"I need somewhere where I can find what was hidden by Tom Riddle to keep safe" said Harry distinctly.

"It works on thoughts as much as words I think" said Neville "I've used it a few times to practise magic in; and excluded people I don't want to find me, like Crabbe and Goyle. I think you need to imagine hard exactly what you're looking for."

Harry nodded and thought about a younger Tom Riddle such as he had seen in the Pensieve, already changing but still approximately human looking.

He turned the handle and went in.

The cathedral sized room was lined with shelves full of items hidden by generations of Hogwarts students.

"I guess it's the same any time anyone wants to hide something!" said Harry "Now…let's split up and look."

It was a long job.

Grace gasped as she looked up at a blistered old cupboard.

"D-dad!" she called Severus "Look – up there! It's the lost diadem of Ravenclaw!"

Severus came over.

"You are certain?"

"I've seen it hundreds of times when I was a Ravenclaw, carved on the statue of the founder!" said Grace. "I can read on it _Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure'"_

"You mean he used that, not the cup? Or as well? Or someone else hid it?" Severus was shocked.

"I'll tell you what, Scales" said Sirius, coming up behind him "I just laid wand to that with revellaspell from behind you and it's been in Albania at some point in the last few decades; and had been there some time."

"Is that why he went to Albania? To retrieve it then?" asked Harry, coming over.

"No… I fancy that this has been here longer than that" said Sirius "It's too dusty to have only been here a few years even supposing he had a way of getting it here. It was this he put here when he came."

"Not the cup at all?" Harry was disappointed.

"Maybe the cup is here too" said Severus "I think it would please him to place Hogwarts treasures in Hogwarts under the noses of the faithful of the houses but unavailable to them. He'd have stolen the sword of Gryffindor too if he could when he came to see Albus."

"Not eight but nine? That's back to an arithmantically favourable number" frowned Krait. "Damn. But surely he wouldn't want…..if he didn't realise Harry was….."

"Sometimes a harmonica is just a harmonica" blurted Harry "Suppose he found the Diadem and left it in here as a spare horcrux in case he needed another? IS it a horcrux?"

"One way to find out" said Severus. "_Accio_ Horcrux!" he raised his wand and cast the spell. The diadem did not flinch. Severus went down with a grunt as he was hit on the back of the head by a solid looking chalice.

Harry cried out in joy; then again in horror at Severus' prone form. Krait knelt by her husband's side.

Severus groaned.

"I appear to have found AN horcrux" he said, feeling the back of his head tenderly as he struggled into a sitting position.

"The hard way" said Krait, kissing him in relief. "The diadem was only ever a diadem. Grace, why don't you take the thing to Professor Flitwick and ask him if he thinks it is what we think it is? He'll be very pleased and then we'll not have to worry about it because Riddle won't know where it's gone. It's not a horcrux is it, Padfoot? You examined it."

"It doesn't seem to be" said Sirius "But let's one of us handle it before we let a young thing like Grace carry it…."

"I'm as old as David" Grace muttered resentfully.

Severus picked up the diadem.

"It is just a diadem" he said "Full of magic and only ever as much malice as may be expected from a Ravenclaw confronted with one they think to be an intellectual inferior."

"It's supposed to enhance the intelligence of anyone who wears it who is worthy." Said Grace.

"And we want artificially enhanced brains why?" said Krait. "Ours are good enough to out-think Fishface; other than Luna Lovegood, who's a dubious asset, we don't have much in the way of Ravenclaws in the MSHG. Too far beneath their academic whinings – er, leanings."

"Your prejudices are hanging out" said Severus. "But the sentiment is just. Artificially enhanced intellect has to be suspect on grounds that it has no grounding in natural ability nor striving towards attainment. It is at best an illusion. And besides, I have often noticed that those of supposedly enhanced intellect are entirely at a loss when it comes to the application of that uncommon feature, common sense."

"So I appear to share my prejudices with more wordily hung out ones from you dear" said Krait, equably. "Run along with it to Professor Flitwick, Gracie; and don't feel tempted to put the damn thing on. Your brains are just fine, we don't need them addled by diadems any more than by potions."

Grace grinned.

"No, I remember that feeling only too well!" she said with feeling; and ran off.

-/-

The cup they took to Dumbledore's office. It almost seemed to squirm and writhe in Harry's hands, and he could almost hear echoes of defamatory words in its depths.

"Ignore it" said Severus.

"I am" said Harry as the cup called Severus 'Snivellus'.

-/-

Dumbledore stared.

"I thought you came back empty handed?" he said.

"We did" said Sirius "Wretched thing was in the castle all the time. Can we use Gryffindor's sword on it please? It seems the best thing in this case…."

Dumbledore reached into the cabinet to draw the sword out and passed it to Harry; who took a deep breath and plunged it into the cup. It tried to bite him; and it started screaming.

It was soon over.

"You'd better keep the sword to take to Godric's Hollow" said Dumbledore. "You are doing well… I hardly dared hope you'd find so many so quickly."

"It's the group" said Harry "Sharing knowledge gives so much more brainpower to sort out puzzles."

"You mean I have been wrong to only tell people what I thought they needed to know?" said Dumbledore "I didn't want to place too much fear on anyone, especially you young people…"

"Meh" said Krait "If you work on a need-to-know basis, soon you get to feel that you are the only person that needs to know the whole; it's a bit of a power trip Albus, and I'm afraid you're a control freak. Knowledge is, and always has been, power. We don't love you any less, but as one control freak to another, I'm glad you've lightened up recently."

Her last sentence made Dumbledore laugh ruefully.

"Well, your habit of letting all the people you trust know everything seems to work" he said "And we're further along than I ever dared hope."

"One more object, one snake and bits of Harry's head to go" said Krait. "Harry mate, are you getting a greater proportion of him in your head as the other parts of him are diminished by us destroying them?"

Harry shook his head.

"I can see more because he is more powerful; but it's no worse really than when I dreamed of being the snake biting Arthur. And thanks to Severus I can block too."

Krait nodded.

"I guess each split was irretrievable and complete; though you represent a higher proportion of the remains of Tom Riddle's soul such as it is, that's not apparent from his side. And of course if it were, he'd be aware of you destroying horcruces."

"Quite so" said Dumbledore. "Now, early to bed I think, Harry, for an early start tomorrow."

-/-

Professor Flitwick was amazed at Grace's find.

"My dear!" he squeaked, after casting his own revelaspell on it "Where did you find it? It's been lost for centuries!"

Grace shrugged.

"It was in the Room of Requirements, Professor Flitwick" she told him honestly "There's a room that's part of it where you hide stuff you want to keep from people….I was looking for something else and I recognised it. Dad said I should bring it to you."

"Did you feel tempted to try it on?" asked Flitwick.

"Meh" Grace borrowed Krait's favourite expression of contempt "I prefer common sense to overblown artificially enhanced intellect."

Flitwick sighed.

"One cannot fault Severus' compassion in adopting you" he said "But I do wish he would not infect his wards with sarcastic disapproval of those things held sacred by others."

Grace grinned.

"I'd also rather be happy than clever" she said "And if the agonies the academic types go through over OWLs are anything to measure it by, you can't have both. And that's entirely my opinion and not one coloured by anything Dad or Krait have said. That's why I'm Gryffindor now I guess; I was only ever a Ravenclaw because it was a family tradition. No disrespect meant, sir."

Flitwick sighed.

"Oh none taken" he said "If people weren't all different we'd not have four different houses after all."


	24. Chapter 24

_**I took a lot from canon here with the grave and memorial; except of course it's Sirius showing Harry about. It felt wrong to shy away from quoting and somehow I felt it would dishonour all JKR put into a poignant encounter not to use her words.**_

**Chapter 24: Godric's Hollow **

Harry set off early in the morning with Sirius to Godric's Hollow, apparating from the castle using their Blood Group elf ability.

The village, containing as many muggles as wizarding families or more, was composed largely of small rather twee cottages mostly with front porches and well pitched roofs. There were several shops, a post office, a pub and a little church with stained glass windows set in a little graveyard.

Harry felt a thrill of something between excitement and fear; which was increased as he stared at the memorial that transformed itself to his wizardly eyes into a statue of three people: a man with untidy hair and glasses, a woman with long hair and a kind, pretty face and with a baby boy in her arms. It was almost strange to see himself represented in stone and without a scar on his forehead….. snow lay on the statues and drifted down desultorily.

"They are honoured by all" said Sirius softly "Do you want to see their grave? For closure?"

Harry nodded wordlessly.

They went through the kissing gate into the graveyard and Sirius led him round the back.

"Good job it's not snowed too heavily to leave footprints" said Sirius "And it's snowing to fill them….all it could take is a careless word that someone visited the Potter grave."

"Are many of the wizarding community buried here?"

"You'll recognise plenty of names…there's an Abbott there….Kendra Dumbledore and her daughter Ariana over there. Albus should have told you more, sooner – and certainly have told the Order of the Phoenix more. Still, we all like to keep our grubbier secrets intact I suppose" Sirius added.

"I should like, when this is all over, to come here again with you and with Albus and mourn properly all our lost ones…to make those bonds we have stronger" said Harry softly.

"You can be extraordinarily deep Harry" said Sirius softly. "Over here is a grave Albus told me to show you; it's so overgrown by moss you can scarcely read it, but it's supposed to be the grave of Ignotus Peverell, the one who had the cloak."

Harry paused suddenly.

"Potter descended from Peverell – must be, because of inheriting the cloak. Peverell also gave rise to Gaunt. And Peverell was Slytherin's descendant; does that make me Slytherin's descendant too?"

Sirius blinked.

"I don't know; was it the Peverell side or the Gaunt that was his heir? Old Marvolo was proud of being descended from the Peverells but you know they were famous in their own right, Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus. I guess it might explain the Parseltongue awakening so readily in you but….well, Potters have been Gryffindors for a long time and somehow I don't see…"

Harry nodded.

"Just a sudden thought" he said "But it does make me distantly related to Fishface."

"Heh, most of us are related to most others if you go far enough back" said Sirius.

"Don't people mostly marry others of their own house?"

"More the case of Gryffindor don't marry Slytherin….but Slytherin – Ravenclaw happens; and then if you get a child of that union in Ravenclaw, you can get Slytherin blood indirectly to a Ravenclaw – Gryffindor union. People often stay in House, but by no means exclusively. What about you and Cho Chang?"

Harry blushed.

"I take the point" he said. "Only…..it's nice to think that if I'm related to HIM through the Peverells I'm also related to Krait, and Draco indirectly as well likely Potter – Weasley connections. It – it's sort of nice to add ties to the Kindred ties."

Sirius nodded wordlessly.

His own rejection of kin made him sensitive to Harry's dislike of the Dursleys; and his craving for family. He felt the same way himself in being able to feel warmth at last towards his dead brother; and to be getting on better with the last link to him, Kreacher. And he also looked forward to getting to know his cousin Bella again now she was a small child.

"James and Lily are over here" Sirius said gently.

The words were engraved clearly, still sharp after only fifteen years.

"_James Potter, born 27 March 1960, died 31 October 1981_

_Lily Potter, born 30 Janurary 1960, died 31October 1981_

_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."_

"Isn't that a Deatheater idea?" he demanded pointing at the last line. "Why is it there?"

"Don't you like the sentiment? I chose it" said Sirius "In that the last enemy is really I suppose fear of death; overcoming fear and embracing death willingly – like Ignotus did in the end – when it is your time and defeating death in the eternity beyond it, beyond the veil with your loved ones."

"But they don't live on…they're under that stone rotting, unknowing, indifferent!" said Harry resentfully. Tears were welling up, boiling down his face, the chill air almost seeming to freeze them as they fell. He let them fall, and Sirius laid an arm around his shoulders, not trying to stop the tide of grief, silent, knowing that this was no time for empty platitudes. As the tide subsided into hiccoughs, Sirius raised his wand and produced a bunch of red roses and white lilies. Harry caught it in mid air and laid it on the grave.

"Ghosts shun the veil because they fear it" said Sirius "We walk towards it every day we defy Riddle. It is nothing to fear. My brother embraced it to stop him. James and Lily did too. We all are prepared to. We do it for those about us we love; but also because we have an instinctive knowledge that there is more. They cannot interact with you but I am as sure as I am sure that I am dog that they hear of your deeds and are proud of you. Do you WANT to be protected all your life, have James and Lily turn up and make decisions for you, forbid you to be involved the way Arthur and Molly forbid Ron and Ginny from doing anything dangerous? You learned to stand on your own feet, and that was the lesson they gave you in the brief time you had them. Will you disrespect their memory by wanting them here to hold your hand?"

Harry was stung.

"No, but – but I'd just like to see them and…and talk to them."

"Well maybe you can use the resurrection stone for that….when you come to face Riddle, turn it then and ask them to stand with you and show you the way over if Albus is wrong. After all if he is wrong, it's probable plenty of us will be following you to make sure that he does too."

Harry gave a shuddering sigh.

"I don't mean to be selfish" he said wistfully.

"It's not selfish" said Sirius gently "But it's not going to help you to dwell on might-have-beens or play the if game. Come, let me show you the house."

"Isn't it hidden?"

Sirius shook his head.

"The Fidelius charm died with James and Lily" he said.

The cottage was at the end of a row; the hedge had grown wild since it had been uninhabited and waist high grass grew in what had been the garden. What was left of the cottage was covered with dark growths of ivy, and now snow starting to settle. Mostly it was intact, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart, presumably where the curse had backfired.

"Can it not be repaired?" asked Harry "Is it like injuries from Dark Magic that can't be healed?"

"None of us had the heart I guess… and it was yours to do with as you pleased when you were grown" shrugged Sirius. "As to mending Dark Magic, that I don't know; but I am prepared to wager that the Blood Group won't let a little thing like Dark Magic stop them fixing your house."

It made Harry feel warm.

His parents might be dead but he would never be truly alone with his Blood Kindred; and he approached the rusted gate.

It was placing his hand on the gate that did it.

A sign rose out of the ground in front of Harry and Sirius through the tangles of nettles and weed like some strange, fast-growing flower or one encouraged on by Krait. In golden letters on the wood it said:

_On this spot on the night of 31 October 1981,_

_Lily and James Potter lost their lives,_

_Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever_

_To have survived the killing curse._

_This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left_

_In its ruined state as a monument to the Potters_

_And as a reminder of the violence_

_That tore apart their family._

All around these neatly lettered words scribbles had been added by other witches and wizards who had come to see the place where the Boy-Who-Lived had escaped. Some had signed their names in everlasting ink; others had carved their initials into the wood, others still had left messages, many of them addressed to Harry and wishing him luck, newer ones these, dating from the time of the Goblet of Fire competition and from the time Harry had been castigated by the press when the ministry had tried to play down his belief that Voldemort had returned.

"It's very heartening" said Harry "But I can't help thinking how Hermione would tut at people writing on an official sign!"

"I am very fond of Hermione" laughed Sirius "But she puts me so much in mind of a middle aged witch with too many responsibilities."

They looked at each other and grinned and said together,

"Molly Weasley!"

-/-

The gate yielded to alohamora; not that it was locked, but the accumulation of rust might as well have been a lock.

"I don't know how safe it is" said Sirius.

"Are their effects still inside?" asked Harry, looking nervously at the ruin.

"I don't know…. I was accused of their murder and put in Azkaban, remember?" said Sirius with some bitterness.

"I just had a horrid thought… if the watch was given to her closest relative, Aunt Petunia, there's no way she'd give me my mother's watch, especially not to destroy" said Harry "The very blood tie that kept me alive proving to keep him alive too…how much irony would that be?"

"You worry too much, Scales is right" said Sirius "Time to worry about that if we don't find it. Then first off we do some grave robbing in case it was buried on her; and THEN I set Mundungus Fletcher to burgle Privet Drive of all its watches and we see which if any were Lily's. He owes me still after all."

Harry managed a shaky grin.

"Padfoot, I don't want to dig them up" he said.

"Nor do I" said Sirius soberly "But it may need to be done…we'll ask those who didn't know them, Draco and Neville and David…would that be all right?"

Harry nodded wordlessly.

His Kin would do it sensitively; but he could not face doing it himself.

-/-

The furnishings were untouched, covered in the dust of years and plaster from the ceiling.

"We have to go upstairs" said Sirius "Chances are it'll be on a bedside table."

"If she took it off" said Harry "Lots of people don't ever take their watches off; and with waterproof ones not even to bath."

"It'll be there, trust me" said Sirius "Of COURSE it will be…..Wormtail took it from Godric's Hollow to take to his master. And was told, I'm sure to take it straight back."

Harry sighed with relief.

Of course. That was why they were here. They were acting on information Krait had got directly from Pettigrew.

It was almost an anticlimax to find it, a slim gold lady's watch on the charred dressing table. Harry touched it briefly and felt that semblance of life that was indicative of a horcrux.

"How come he thinks I'd keep it when I can feel something like a heart beating in it?" he asked "Like all the horcruces…"

"Because most of us can't" said Sirius "You're a horcrux yourself we decided, or at least have some of his consciousness; and it synchronises with you like the blood group synchronises hearbeats."

Harry nodded; sighed; and got out Gryffindor's sword.

Instantly his mind was filled with taunting thoughts that Lily had chosen to die with her husband rather than live with her son; thoughts he knew to be ridiculous, but which had still occasionally haunted him. He placed himself aside from the thing's mental attack; and that became easier with every time too. And he thrust.

The glass shattered; and the hands flew at him like miniature daggers. They bounced on Sirius' hastily cast _protego_ spell.

"Heh, dark and sticky ends" said Sirius, stooping to pick the hands up with a spell "Nagini's poison I shouldn't wonder. Shall I burn them?"

Harry nodded, drained; and Sirius muttered the spell to heat the metal hands enough to denature any poison.

-/-

They returned home; Harry felt quite light headed with the emotions he had been through. He reported to the others though.

"That's all then bar Nagini" said Krait with satisfaction. "Unless he makes more."

"Don't" said Harry with a shudder "I can't go through that much more often. Anyway, isn't the diadem safe now?"

"Yes" said Krait "But it occurred to me….he has sired several children, or rather not troubled to use a contraceptive spell. And I was wondering, could he be considering using any of US as Horcruces – with ready made bodies to take over. Certainly young Salazar. I am coming to the opinion that he scatters his seed every so often to have a reliable source of unformed minds to take over at need, by making them horcruces if his current form gets killed. And it proves he does not know you are a horcrux or he could have possessed you – which is why I thought perhaps you weren't as you might recall."

Harry nodded.

"I was going to say I like your idea. I don't LIKE it but I mean it seems reasonable" he said "Having made Nagini a Horcrux when he killed the muggle in Little Hangleton the idea of a sentient horcrux and a body he could use took his mind perhaps?"

Krait nodded.

"And then he found Abigail. And a couple of years later, that unfortunate house elf. A child of under two could probably be easily pushed aside; but I do wonder if there are more. He couldn't guarantee a boy and somehow I can't see him accepting a female human or humanish body."

Harry shrugged.

"We'll find out I guess; or we won't." He said philosophically. "I have a splitting headache….I'm off to bed."


	25. Chapter 25

_**Gratuitous pun warning.**_

**Chapter 25: Happy Holidays**

Krait did not bother to inform Harry that her father had contacted her that morning to ask if she had yet succeeded in becoming pregnant with Potter's child; nor that she had said that it was too early yet to be certain. Krait was not about to be overly honest that she was three months gone with another child; especially as her father would take a dim view of her having Severus' child when she was supposed to be getting pregnant by Harry. It crossed her mind however that a grandson of Voldemort's would do him as well as a body to use as a son; and it might not displease him if she birthed a boy, regardless of the father.

And that she would do all she could to oppose; and was glad that her children were born of the Blood Group and protected by it from possession and – she fondly hoped – being made into a horcrux at all.

-/-

Krait and Harry were due to visit Malfoy Manor for the last few days of the holidays; and Draco had warned them that he was to be inviting Dudley too. Harry was cautious but prepared to hope that Dudley really was improving with keeping – Krait's irreverent description – and had to admit he had managed to exchange several quite civil letters with his cousin.

"Have to buy him an owl of his own" said Krait cheerfully "Pity his name isn't Titus."

"What?" said Harry.

"Haven't you ever wanted to get Titus an owl?" quipped Krait.

Harry groaned.

"Seeing as you're next thing to teetotal that's awful!" he protested.

Krait grinned.

"But how could I resist?"

-/-

Draco used muggle trains – with strict instructions from his cousin Abrax – to Little Whingeing in Surrey where the Dursleys lived. It was fun to use muggle transport, like and yet not like the Hogwarts Express, and enlivened with Abrax's charms on the wheels shouting 'Voldemort-demort, Voldemort-demort' all across the countryside. The eclectic – no, _electric_ wire overhead flashed blue from time to time, and Draco pretended to himself that all that uncontrolled energy didn't make him nervous. It wasn't REALLY uncontrolled after all; and just because it looked like lightning and was made of the same stuff as lightning did not mean it would strike everyone in the carriage dead. Besides, the carriage was some sort of cage, Krait said, that electricity couldn't get into. Farday or some such name. It went faster than the Hogwarts express too, but the line ran the whole way and did not have to use a wizard gate the way the Express did in one of its tunnels to avoid a large muggle conurbation. They had enough trains of their own, you'd think they'd not have noticed an odd one extra, but that was the way it was.

Draco got out of the train at the Little Whingeing stop and presented his ticket at the barrier as if he had ridden muggle trains all his life. He was unaware he received a hard look from the inspector for such blatant honesty, wondering if this lad was pulling a fast one; and strolled out. It was fortunate the settlement had a train station; the large drill manufacturer where Vernon Dursley worked was a big firm with plenty of workers, many of whom commuted from the poorer end of the nearest town by train, and made keeping a station running worthwhile even under the tender mercies of Doctor Beeching, of whom Draco had never heard. Vernon of course drove to work from the better end of town; and Draco was planning to return to Wiltshire by car, the family Rolls Royce, with Dudley. He had just had a fancy – to the bewilderment of his father – to ride the trains on the way. Jark, the goblin driver understood.

"Good trip, Mister Draco?" he asked as he held the door for the boy outside the station where he was waiting.

"Most edifying" said Draco. "The electric flashes are a little unnerving but Krait says it's quite safe, the carriage is a, er, Farday Cage."

"Faraday, Mr Draco" said Jark, who had been given permission to correct Draco. "It'd even keep you safe from a lightning strike, and that's far more powerful even than the live rail on the underground or the overhead cables. Not that you want to go messing with either, mind."

"I wasn't planning to, Jark" said Draco "The more I learn about technology, the more respect I have for its dangers. It's just DIFFERENT to magic; but just as risky."

Jark nodded.

He enjoyed his chats about engineering and technology with Master Draco; and was of the opinion that the lad understood more even than muggle-mad Arthur Weasley.

The big silver car purred up to the side of number four Privet Drive making less noise than one of Mrs Figg's cats.

Dudley was watching out of the window, eager and ready. Petunia hovered, half afraid, half flattered that her son was invited to stay with one of the big names in the wizarding world; for it truly was jealousy of her sister that had driven her antipathy, and her ambition for her son was enough to overcome more antipathy than she felt. Vernon had vented his spleen; but Petunia had emphasised how important the Malfoys were, and how foolish it would be to antagonise them. And Vernon had to admit that Draco at least looked remarkably normal – normal for a real toff, anyway – and arrived in reasonable forms of transport. He had been half afraid that his son would be whisked away by broom or something even more outlandish like the flying car those red haired twins were supposed to have owned!

Dudley had lost weight; and looked better for it. Draco held out a hand.

"Big D – and most of that big part is muscle now! You've done well, you look very fit, I am impressed."

Dudley flushed in pleasure and shook the proffered hand almost shyly.

"I – I'm looking forward to spending some time working out with you" he said "I think I'd make a better showing now."

"I wager you will" said Draco. "Madam Dursley – servant, Mr Dursley." He bowed stiffly. "Have to carry your bag the standard way, I'm not seventeen yet so the other way isn't permitted out of school" he added cheerfully, more for the effect such open reference to magic had on Vernon than to impart information. He was not disappointed; Vernon went purple and huffed angrily. Draco grinned. "Chin-chin old bean" he said, facetiously, having been introduced to PG Wodehouse by Krait and enjoying the effect of upper class foppishness on Vernon too as he swept Dudley down the path and saw him tenderly bestowed in the Roller by Jark, appearing no more than a wizened little old man to muggles.

"I say, what kind of er creature is your chauffeur?" Dudley whispered as Draco settled beside him. Draco was startled.

"You can see he's not human? You've more talent than an ordinary muggle then; guess your mother carries it in her heritance" said Draco. "He's a goblin. Maybe if you practice you'll be able to see house elves too."

"Wait a bit – Harry said something about an elf doing magic that got him into trouble a couple of years back; he was telling the truth then?"

"Harry always tells the truth, even when it's inconvenient. It gets him in no end of trouble" grinned Draco. "Ah, THAT's a long story and does not reflect well on my family I fear… .I think we'd better catch you up on some parallel history. If you can see goblins for what they are, then when you get married there's a chance any kid of yours might be a witch or wizard."

"My parents would be furious!" gasped Dudley.

"Your father would; but I rather suspect your mother would be delighted" said Draco. "I found out she wanted to go to Hogwarts with her sister and was bitterly disappointed; we're hoping to set up a college to take muggle relatives that teaches some of the same classes to try for a better understanding, so by the time you're breeding in ten years or so we should be well away to take Harry's second cousins there if you want even if they're not magically active. You'd have been less afraid of it if you'd learned more about it, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah…yeah I guess I would" said Dudley, not bothering to refute Draco's claim that he was afraid of magic. "I s'pose that's why dad don't like it either; but it ain't no use talking to him about it because the very mention of that world has him in a fury. I guess if I do have kids at any time and they can do it he'll have to accept it."

Draco privately thought it unlikely that Vernon would ever accept magical relatives; but a man so choleric who did not watch his weight was also quite likely to be dead of a premature heart attack before any grandchildren of his were old enough to cause him apoplectic fits for their abilities. He decided not to mention this belief to Dudley however!

-/-

Lucius was distant but civil; Narcissa was distant; and Charlotte was kind. Draco introduced Erica and Nathan as his half siblings and Bella as a cousin. Dudley had never anticipated playing with children; his idea of playing with children younger than himself was scattering them with his bulk and making them cry. Draco however plainly expected his friend to play nursery games with the small ones – the little girls sighing at Nathan, two and three years younger than them – and Dudley found it surprisingly good fun. He was taken aback to have soft arms around his neck for a goodnight kiss when Charlotte came to take the children off for their bath and bedtime story; and was surprised to find he rather liked it.

"Engaging brats, aren't they?" said Draco. "I'll tell you their background some time; Charlotte's my dad's mistress however and officially they're my half siblings. What do you think of exploding snap?"

"er…good game actually" admitted Dudley. "I guess I might even get the hang of it enough to play with Harry in the long holidays."

"Yes, he'll like that" said Draco "It's one of those games that's ineffably childish but such good fun it doesn't matter. Do you play cricket?"

"Er.. I've played" said Dudley "I'm not any good though."

"Oh, then you have an advantage over me" said Draco "Apparently we're starting a cricket team in summer; you might run through some rules with me so I know what I'm doing!"

The evening just flew! The meal was a little nerve-wracking for middle class Dudley, especially since he had trouble seeing house elves and the dishes seemed to serve themselves until he stared hard enough to start to discern the servants. That was a small victory; seeing things wizards normally hid. And that meant all he had to worry about was using the right knife; though Draco had told him how to start with the outermost cutlery and move in. Harry would be arriving the next day, .Draco had said; and that was a little nervous too.

"I'll wake you for the run shall I?" Draco said as he left Dudley in a magnificent, if rather gloomy guest room. "The others are joining us for that."

"Uh, yeah, thanks" said Dudley.

"Don't forget, no electric light, I've put a pe-trol lighter by your candle" said Draco.

"Ta!" said Dudley, moved that his friend should think of such things that were so minor and yet so important!

-/-

It felt too early when Draco roused him; and it was dark.

"Not much fun at this time of year is it?" said Draco "I hate getting up in the dark. The elves have heated some water for a quick wash before; they'll have a deep hot bath ready for us when we return in that unpleasant state of both sweaty and cold."

"You don't like it either? I thought you were hardy and tough and laughed at discomfort!" said Dudley.

"Nobody LIKES it" said Draco "It's a measure of how hardy you are that you endure it for the sake of fitness. And that's important for our types too, the fitter you are, the longer you can sustain a spell, or keep casting; and in battle that can mean the difference between living and dying."

"You talk as though you expect to fight a lot" said Dudley "I know there's some kind of reason Harry has to live with us even though he hates it as much as I always used to hate having him; and it's to do with relatives and protection from someone nobody is allowed to say the name of but that's all I know.

"Ah, dear Fishface – it's what we call him" said Draco "Names have power; a powerful wizard can hear his name spoken and gain knowledge of the person who spoke it and some of what has been said. Next time you go on a train though, listen to the wheels; my clever little cousins Abraxus and Hawke enchanted them to say his name all the time, so if he listens he won't half get a headache! Right, let me fill you in while we wash and grab a slice of toast…."

Dudley had a full, if rapid, history lesson of what had been happening both at the time of his own birth and during the last few years. He was so shocked he even forgot to eat!

"You mean this er Fishface has been trying to KILL Harry? Why didn't we know?"

"Your father didn't want to know" said Draco. "You're man enough I think to take knowledge about our world and deal with it."

Dudley flushed, pleased at the compliment; and resolved to live up to Draco's expressed opinion – as Draco hoped he might!

They had just finished a hurried breakfast when Krait, Harry and David turned up from somewhere – Dudley thought perhaps he would rather not ask – chattering cheerfully. Introductions were made to David who cheerfully admitted to having come to visit Lucius to discuss nuclear fission.

Dudley preferred not to ask about that either.

"You can't make magical atom bombs can you?" he asked Draco in some alarm however. Draco laughed.

"No; but we need to make sure that non magical atom bombs have counters in case anyone else out there decides to have a nuclear temper tantrum" he said "My dad was well shocked to learn about them; it's a case of defence of the realm and all that."

He did not add that part of the defence of the realm was defence of the wizarding realm from English muggles and tactical nukes.

Dudley was amazed at how much he enjoyed the run. He had been enduring runs on his own, heartened by the thought of Draco running at the same time; but the whole business actually became enjoyable with the esprit de corp when there were several runners.

"I really wish I could join you to run every morning" he said wistfully "Though you're still a lot fitter than me."

"Time and determination will sort that" said Harry. "I – I guess we could fit you up a gateway; a bit like the way you get onto platform nine-and-threequarters. We do have gates to each others' houses, but not mine because of what your father might say if he found out. But if you INVITE us to, it'd be ok I guess…."

"all right…. I'd have to walk through a wall or something?"

"Yes…how about if we set it up in the cupboard under the stairs where I used to sleep? I can feel that pretty well, which helps setting things up. We all come out in one of the loos…it's a long story" said Harry "But it made sense at the time."

"It's where we meet, where the Chamber of Secrets opens – did anyone tell you about that?" said Krait.

"Yeah, Draco filled me in a lot…say Harry, I didn't know you were such a hero."

Harry flushed.

"I don't feel a hero" he said "I guess I blunder about doing what I have to do because somebody has to."

"I – I guess I'd rather help than hinder" said Dudley. "I didn't understand… Draco explained a lot. He – he's rather fine, isn't he?"

Harry grinned.

"He is now" he said "When he first came here we didn't get on at all."

Dudley nodded.

"He said he was spoiled and a bully – like me. Harry, can we start again? I know you've only got one more holiday at home, but….perhaps it'll be better?" he thrust out a big pink hand.

Harry, taken aback for a moment, gaped; then took it.

"You bet" he said warmly "I think we can be good friends with a bit of give and take. I never MEANT to do magic when I was little you know, and cause you grief. Though I enjoyed it happening as I got older, especially the snake."

Dudley paled at the memory.

"I guess you couldn't help it any more than I could help being strong – and not always knowing how much I might of hurt you" he said. "Start over?"

"Yeah" said Harry, meeting his eye.

It was an easy task to legilimens Dudley; and Harry was suspicious of the sudden change of heart. His probing however showed it not as sudden as it seemed; as Dudley had written to Draco, the Dementor attack had remained in his memory and scared him badly; and Harry's taking a stand between them and Dudley had made a great impression on the boy.

The attentions of posh Draco Malfoy had not gone amiss either; and Dudley was assessing himself next to the Malfoy boy and finding there was much he wanted to change. Harry gave a genuinely warm smile of pleasure.

Life was going to be much easier next holiday; even if Uncle Vernon proved to be difficult.

-/-

The last few days of the holiday were pleasant for the guests at Malfoy Manor; and Draco did not by word or gesture show that he had not enjoyed the questions Voldemort had subjected him to through the scrying glass.

He was supposed to be funking the job set him anyway; for the little creep to sneer at him was only good for their cover and a way to break his mother away from his hold too. Draco had not tried the Parseltongue order on her yet, for he did not trust her ability to act if Voldemort himself turned up at Malfoy Manor while he was back at school.

It would have to be done at the last minute; this he had discussed with his father, and Lucius had concurred.

It was going to be a busy term!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 getting the kids back to school…..**

While Krait was at Malfoy Manor, Severus had a serious talk with Sirri.

He cupped her face in his hands and regarded her seriously.

"You know I can never give you the love I have for Krait" he told her "And I should be wrong not to tell you that, for she and I have shared so much….and she has given me the peace of mind and sense of self worth I have always lacked. I love you with deep affection but I cannot give you my soul."

Sirri reached up a tiny hand to touch his face.

"Oh Mister Severus, don't you understand? A house elf is lucky if there is even mild affection in her life….my parents and Beloc and me thought ourselves lucky to have each other and to love each other. If – if you is prepared to like me a little I'd be so glad!"

"It's more than like, dear Sirri" said Severus, his heart going out to the lonely unloved existence of house elves, and to Sirri in particular for her low expectations. He knew what it was to feel unloved. "And it's just Severus, you know."

"Oh Severus! I – I would like to be with you if – if Miss Krait says it is all right!"

"Krait thinks it is a good idea; she loves you too and wants you to be happy."

"I has not been able to think what form you might like me to try to take" said Sirri tentatively.

"My dear, I would hope you would keep your own pretty form, just – grow the body a bit so I can't hurt you" said Severus "Or – or perhaps it would be better if I shrank?"

Sirri shook her head violently.

"NO NO NO!" she squeaked "YOU must not change form that would be WRONG!"

"But it's not wrong for you? How's that then?" Severus smiled gently.

"Because it is, that's all!" said Sirri firmly.

"I only suggest changing because of the practical difficulties…. And I suppose it would make sense for you to change, because if there are children – if you want children – you can then use the larger form for the later stages of pregnancy and birth to make it less risky. You are lovely as you are, because it is what you are meant to be" said Severus.

Sirri threw her arms as far round him as she could reach.

"You are so kind!" she cried. "Oh and I do want your babies, because you will treat them right and they will be your children – you doesn't treat Mimi or Sevvy any different to the others!"

"They are my wards – and now to be my adoptive children" said Severus softly.

"They love you and K-Krait too" said Sirri, fighting against the desire to add 'Mistress' to the name. "I will work on being big for you."

Severus grinned.

"Not too big – it tickles my vanity to be protective" he said.

"So – so about the size Krait is?" said Sirri.

"Just as high as my heart – yes, that would be ideal" said Severus "Unless there is a size you feel more comfortable at."

Sirri shook her head.

"I will work hard" she said firmly "And when I has it right I will come to you?"

Severus leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers.

"Yes" he said.

Sirri glowed with joy; good food, security and kindness had given her good looks already, but in her happiness she had an inner beauty that few would have believed to exist in a house elf!

-/-

Harry returned to Hogwarts via the Loo network, and Draco went with Dudley back to Privet Drive to set up a gateway in the cupboard under the stairs to Myrtle's loo.

"You just have to have an act of faith and go through it" he explained, and took Dudley into the stall he had chosen.

"Ooh Draco, who's that?" said Myrtle, popping out of the U-bend.

"AaH!" said Dudley, startled.

"Miss Myrtle er, Carmichael, Mr Dudley Dursley" drawled Draco in his best social occasion accent. "Myrtle's a ghost, Dudley; she was killed by Harry's basilisk and got sentenced to stay in the loo because she haunted the girl who bullied her. It's one reason we meet here; Myrtle's one of us."

"Er..oh. nice to er, meet you" said Dudley, a trifle doubtfully.

Myrtle wriggled coyly at him.

"I always like to meet nice boys" she said. "I DO like your cousin Abraxus, Draco, he's Sooo polite to me."

"Flirt" said Draco amicably. "Dudley's going to come through in the mornings to run with us; you'll help him find the right stall if he gets confused, won't you Myrtle?"

Myrtle batted her insubstantial eyelashes.

"Oh yes!" she promised.

Draco went back through with Dudley; he had his school kit in the car and planned to go to London for the train, as behoved the Head boy!

-/-

David had made it his own duty to wait outside the barrier in case of trouble; as he said, he had enough knowledge of muggles, being born one, to head off any muggle trouble. Draco waited with him in his capacity of Head Boy to hurry up stragglers. First years particularly were always a worry and Draco was glad to count through his list and be sure all the Gryffindors were on, Gryffindors being, as he said to David, the source of most trouble.

David grinned.

"And being one myself I fear I can't dispute that. Especially with the likes of Colin Weasley and Jasper Crouch-Jones. And just think – each of them has several younger siblings."

Draco groaned hollowly.

"Will Hogwarts survive?"

"More to the point, will Hogwarts survive the string of half siblings YOU're likely to have?"

Draco pulled a face at him.

"I don't care, I'll have left long since" he said.

"Ah, selfish Slytherin to the last…" quipped David. "We have all YOUR house…. All the Ravenclaws….correct me if I'm wrong but are we not missing a Hufflepuff first year?"

Draco groaned.

"It wouldn't surprise me….Gryffs are trouble, Slythers can be too, Ravenclaws are so academic they're often almost as vague as our earnest Huffers manage naturally – if we lose one, it's usually one of those two houses. Who is it?"

"I think it's a kid called Cleonie Puckeridge" said David, who had a good memory. "Shall I stay here and ask your cousins if I can use the floo network or their loo to get back?"

Draco hesitated.

"It's my job really…but then I have the duty to be on the train too. But you're only a third year…."

"I'm blood group….if I haven't turned up at the castle with her, send a house elf to look for me" said David. Draco nodded, relieved. David was a preternaturally sensible boy who could be trusted not to do anything silly. Especially for a Gryffindor.

-/-

Draco boarded the train and pretended not to hear Hawke and Abraxus holding forth at the tops of their voices about the house elf they had helped over the holidays; then eavesdropped anyway.

They had recognised some stuff in a box being carried by a muggle as being magical; and observed him being trailed by a mournful house elf. The elf, named Riddy, had been left himself by his mistress when she died, and he was furious that her muggle nephew was disrespecting her wizarding equipment by just taking it either to the nearest pawnbroker or even to the tip.

"The house is up for sale too, and guess what! It's near our new house in Orme Court, it MUST be a small wizarding community!" said Abrax, excitedly "Dad's putting in an offer for it, junk and all as he said, and hoping Severus might like to buy it off him when Krait gets her inheritance…and Riddy's come to work with us, because he doesn't like being free that much, but he's happy to be employed….and mum met a house elf called Lilly whose owner had died without an heir when she was looking for a property in Diagon Alley, so she's going to be mum's new shop assistant….and mum's raking in loot from wizards on one side and muggles on the other and it's all good!"

Draco grinned. At least Abrax was discreet about the expected source of Krait's inheritance – any outsiders who heard would assume it to be a Malfoy inheritance – and it was good that his new relatives were doing well. He knew his father had suggested investing in Wendy's business and she had accepted, since he had the contacts to make a real difference; it was right that Malfoys should be doing well. His uncle Vladimir was not especially well off – he was a zoo vet who had been through a messy divorce – but he was considering a job at Hogwarts helping Hagrid on the understanding that Lucius would support his claim of total custody of the children of the failed marriage. Draco had met the former Mrs Malfoy briefly when she collected his cousins and seen how apprehensive and low they were at her concept of entertaining them for the weekend, taking them shopping in France. For a little girl of eight, and brothers one and three years younger Draco could scarcely think of a more tedious occupation! It would not be long before she'd be at Hogwarts; yes, David was right, they'd be knee deep in Malfoys. What a nice thought!

-/-

David, meanwhile, had taken Draco's list and took a bus to Cleonie's home address.

Cleonie was outside by a black BMW car with a man who was presumably her father. He wore an expensive grey suit; and she was in an unfamiliar uniform of navy blue and orange and looked totally miserable. David swore quietly to himself. How to attract her attention without doing illegal magic? She wasn't a member of the Blood Group, so Parseltongue was no good…he recalled that she had said that her father was a surgeon so he would probably understand Latin. Suddenly he had an idea; and whistled 'A Cauldron full of Hot Strong Love', an old song that was recently going through a revival having been covered by the Weird Sisters. Only a member of the wizarding community would recognise it.

Cleonie stiffened.

"I need the loo dad" she said, urgently.

"Haven't you BEEN?" demanded her father crossly.

"DAD! You don't ASK girls things like that!" said Cleonie.

David grinned.

She was a bright enough little thing.

"All right….hurry up. You don't want to be late at St Agatha's on your first day there" he said, looking impatiently at his watch.

David drifted round the back of the house; and the bathroom window flew open and Cleonie's anxious face peered out.

"Fraser?" she said, catching sight of David "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, obviously" said David.

"Have I missed the train?"

"'Fraid so" he said, laconically "But I've arranged alternative transport…whatever is this St Agatha's rubbish?"

"Daddy wanted me to be a, what he calls, proper surgeon not some, er, witch doctor. Mummy's working and he offered to see me to the station – they're divorced you know – and then he turned up and burned my Hogwarts uniform and made me put this on and told me he'd arranged a proper school for me!"

"But he's not your guardian is he?"

"No! But that's one reason mummy divorced him, he's so arrogant and only his views count….and mummy has wizarding cousins so she accepted what I am, but he won't!" Cleonie was close to tears; she was a peaceable little thing and hated trouble.

"Right…your mum wants you to be at Hogwarts and that's all that counts legally. Can you climb out of the window?"

"I – I think so, if you'll stand underneath to catch me."

David nodded and talked her down patiently. She had stripped off the uniform and had pulled on jeans and a sweater, very sensibly in David's opinion; it was less distinctive. As she dropped to the ground the sound of her father's voice floated through the open window muffled by the locked bathroom door, demanding that she hurry herself up.

"Quick, over the fence onto the park!" said David, who had checked out the surroundings quickly.

"I can't climb the fence or I'd have done that before" said Cleonie. "I was hoping to run away from that horrid school he wanted me to go to, hoping that would be easier. It's too high for me" she sounded panicked.

"Yes you can; I'll boost you" said David. He did just that and had just scrambled over himself when a crash heralded Mr Puckeridge's entrance into the bathroom.

"Stay by the fence" whispered David "So he doesn't see us….follow me."

It was a simple matter to elude the sight of the angry surgeon; and David led Cleonie onto a bus and away across London to Bayswater where the Casimir Malfoys now lived in a tall Art Nouveau period house. Casimir was in the front garden, talking to an elderly neighbour who was accompanied by several cats, one of whom was a large and magnificent grey tabby.

Casimir waved at David.

"Hello young Fraser, miss the train?"

"Cleonie's father kidnapped her so I had to kidnap her back sir" said David cheerfully. "Morning ma'am, what a fine Kneazle you have there."

"Ah, a young wizard then and a witch?" said the old woman "I'm Mrs Abbott…I'm a squib and a near neighbour to Mr Malfoy here.

"Splendid!" said David "How nice for you to have nice neighbours, Mr Malfoy. Can we use the floo network here please?"

"I don't see why not" said Casimir "Oh dear, you'll arrive early…perhaps I ought to come with you and explain matters to Professor Dumbledore."

"Adults can be a little funny about reasonable explanations from youngsters" agreed David. Having a grown up on your side never came amiss. "You need to use the floo to contact him first with fire-talking to ask permission; the ministry limits who can get into Hogwarts, and quite right too."

Casimir nodded. "I'll leave that to you…lovely to meet you Madam Abbott, I hope you'll excuse me…"

"Oh certainly, Mr Malfoy….but do I pray you regale me with the whole story later, it sounds quite intriguing!" she smiled cheerily at the two children and hobbled off surrounded by her cats.

-/-

Professor Dumbledore listened seriously to David's story over the flames; and gave permission for the children to come into the school by means of the floo.

"I may have to have words with your father, my dear" he said to Cleonie.

"I hope you put the fear of something into him sir" said Cleonie "He still thinks he can tell mummy what to wear and what to let me do, and stuff, and I've tried so hard to live up to his standards with academic stuff, but I'm no Ravenclaw type, I wouldn't get the exams to be a surgeon even if I wasn't a witch. Only I haven't got my stuff, it's still at home and he'd have burned my books too if I hadn't hid them under a pile of comics quick while he was ripping up my uniform."

Dumbledore patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about that my dear, someone shall collect your belongings and tell your mother what has occurred. And I believe I may threaten him with legal proceedings over destruction of property….. perhaps I shall ask Professor Snape to talk to him."

Cleonie brightened.

"Oh YES! He does scary VERY well!" she said.

Dumbledore hid a smile. How far Severus had come that instead of being 'scary' to a first year he 'did scary very well'!

The child's predicament would soon be sorted out; he had every faith in Severus to scare Mr Puckeridge into leaving his daughter's schooling severely alone.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: A Selection of Trouble**

It was a well known fact amongst the staff that the Spring Term was more likely to bring mischief than any other. In the Yule term, the run-up to the Yule Ball and Holiday usually caused enough excitement that the bad weather was not important; but the wet, miserable days of January and February, often stretching into March, let to high spirits being directed at less than accepted activities.

The first piece of mischief was a dirty trick in no uncertain terms.

Pansy Parkinson was not the only girl to have wanted Draco's attention at the Yule Ball; he was, after all, one of the most eligible bachelors in the wizarding world. And one of Claire Barret's classmates, a Ravenclaw girl, had been certain SHE could capture his attention. The girl, Helen Marriott, was the child of a witch and a muggle, but her father was a well paid actor and Helen was his princess. Her air of sophistication and carelessly thrown around wealth had attracted several Hufflepuff girls to worship as the vain girl's cronies; and had Claire been one of them, Helen might have forgiven Draco's attentions to her. But Claire did NOT give unthinking allegiance to Helen; and Helen wanted to pay her back. Consequently she suggested to Claire's dorm mates that putting dirt and mess in Claire's bed would be a good idea..

What was not a good idea was the reverse cleaning spell that they thought would do very well.

The girls involved did not understand the nature of the dirt removing spell; and consequently the toxic monster that they summoned was a shock to them.

It took Professor Sprout several hours to sort out the ensuing chaos; and both girls involved ended up on the sick list with diseases caught from the dirt. The only bright point was that Helen went straight to Professor Sprout to confess to the idea of messing with Claire's bed.

"But not to try a reverse cleaning spell?" asked the Professor.

Helen shook her head.

"No, I'm not so daft!" she said indignantly "I'd not know WHAT might come out of the banishing place!"

Sprout ticked her off; but also praised her integrity in owning up and set her a detention writing an essay on the possible effects of dirt from any source. The two girls who got sick were deemed to have punished themselves very effectively with sore throats and high temperatures as well as having suffered the terror of the thing they had created. They were to receive a tongue lashing only on their return from the sanatorium!

-/-

The second piece of mischief was set by Colin Weasley and friends – Jasper, Pris, Hayley, Ed and Em – to catch out those followers of Helen who had NOT been caught out by catching numerous diseases and who pretended to have nothing to do with it. It was a deadfall of rubbish from bins; and it was sheer bad luck that they caught Sirius Black instead of their intended victims.

Sirius set them short essays on the inadvisability of irritating Professors with uncontrolled traps and told them not to catch any more of the staff if they set the wretched thing back up. They took this as tacit permission to do so and duly caught their intended victims in an even better trap, Sirius having murmured something about stuff holding together better in a matrix of something slimy like jelly.

Deadfalls were, after all, quite standard practical jokes; and not driven by the malice the girls had intended towards Claire.

-/-

The next most exciting thing to happen was when Ron ate half a box of chocolate cauldrons, thinking them to be a birthday present to him, when in fact they had fallen off Harry's bed where he had tossed them, and forgotten them, having been given them by Romilda Vane.

Ron started to eulogise the said Romilda, then looked puzzled. Harry sighed, synchronised blood, and Ron looked more and more confused for a minute before saying

"Hey, have I been poisoned or something? I do feel odd."

"We'll get Sev to brew you up a full antidote" said Harry practically "That little cow Romilda Vane just tried to slip me a love potion and you ate it."

"Blimey!" said Ron. "Aren't I supposed to be horridly gooey eyed about her or something?"

"You were – for all of two minutes" said Harry, dryly "I guess the Blood Tie negates poisons too."

"Well!" said Ron "Ain't that something! Glad we found that out relatively harmlessly."

"Yes I couldn't cope with you slopping on about her while Lavender Brown slopped on about you" said Harry "I think Hermione and Krait got rid of her between them though."

"They did?" Ron sounded hopeful.

"They were discussing what a sad affliction it was for your parents knowing you'd inherited Flobberstorm's Weakness from your great uncle and how they hoped you'd not start growing pustulous tumours before you left school" said Harry.

Ron grinned.

"Oh very nice! I never heard of this Flobber – what you said though" he added.

"Of course you haven't – If I know Krait she was making it up as she went along" said Harry.

Ron grinned again.

"I'm glad she's on our side" he said.

Ron was glad to have had his birthday because it meant that he was eligible – as was Hermione – to take the Apparating Licence test. As Krait, being older, had been the previous year, the advantage of an early birthday. Harry was not to be seventeen until the end of July and was not eligible, though perfectly capable.

"Hope I pass first time" said Ron anxiously "Fred and George did."

"Of course you will" said Harry "You're several parts house elf."

"Oh – yeah" Ron grinned sheepishly.

"Destination…determination….deliberation" said Hermione "That's what Wilkie Twycross said when he was teaching us."

"I liked Severus' way of telling it better" said Krait "TRY not to lose concentration about where you plan to go, loss of concentration is loss of several body parts."

"Yeah, well, Scales is rather snide about most things" said Ron.

"Don't you do the arithmancy on it, Hermione?" asked Krait "I do….for long distances you have to take into account the curvature of the earth and do spherical trigonometry…."

Hermione stared.

"Never occurred to me" she said "But wouldn't you have to involve an integral of 'i' in that?"

"Yes, obviously" said Krait.

Hermione went pink.

"I – I think I'll stick to the traditional method of determination and the rest" she said "I don't manage arithmancy as easily as you do." It was said in a small voice.

"You would if it was a long distance; you'd take time to work it out if you weren't certain where you were going" said Krait.

"But you couldn't…." Hermione stared "Yes you could though….using arithmancy means you could apparate somewhere you'd never see, doesn't it, so long as you had the geomantic co-ordinates?"

"Doesn't need to be geomantic…you can do it with ordinary muggle co-ordinates. It's the relationships that count, not the method. You can use satnav data." Said Krait.

"You certainly DO think outside the box!" said Hermione.

"That's her strength" said Harry "She doesn't do things the traditional way….muggle or wizarding; and she happily combines both."

-/-

The test proved no problem to any of the three; and would have been easy enough for Neville, Draco and Harry had they only been permitted to take it.

-/-

Hagrid meanwhile was most upset.

Aragog had been ailing for a while; and he died one night. Hagrid invited his closest friends to a funeral. Security was tight about being out of the castle at night, with aurors all over the place and Filch on guard; and Hermione and Ron were not exactly keen on taking the risk of being caught for a creature they loathed. Harry was torn; it was for support of Hagrid rather than fondness of Aragog.

"I'm going" said David "Hagrid's always been a good friend to me."

Severus chuckled.

"Why not persuade Horace to give you permission, Harry? Tell him what Aragog was and watch his eyes light up at the thought of a hundred galleons a pint for the venom?"

Harry stared.

"Really? Well why don't you tap it and use it to free more elves and feed more orphans? Doing that sort of thing is as much a way to fight Fishface and his ideals as fighting face to face!"

"You may not have noticed Harry, but Hagrid and I do not get on well" said Severus.

"Well then" said Krait "Why don't you go down with Harry and David and ask him outright for the stuff and the reasons to use the money? Hagrid's pretty unworldly, and he'd not think much of you killing Aragog for his poison, but if you asked now he's dead, you could put it to a- an Aragog memorial fund and let Hagrid feel that his friend is honoured."

Severus blinked.

"You know, dear, that's not such a stupid idea" he said.

"We'll have the little half elf soon" said Krait "She's due to be decanted from the magical womb any day now."

Severus nodded.

"I'll do it." He said.

-/-

Hagrid listened suspiciously to Severus' request.

"You haven't never shown him any respect before" he said.

"Oh I respected the big brute" said Severus "Too much to want to come near him. I don't pretend to be a spider lover; but I'm prepared to put his name to a memorial fund to keep his memory alive to help the various kids we have in our care… and a little half breed due in within a few days. You've not had it easy having THAT thrown in YOUR face, have you? But at least you're big enough to intimidate most bullies. A little half elf girl, sired by Fishface will NOT have it so easy."

Hagrid's face softened.

"Ar, well, I suppose under those circumstances… you'll stay for the burial too?"

Severus nodded.

"Hardly polite to despoil the body and not see him put to rest" he said. Harry marvelled again at Severus' often surprising moral code. David just nodded; and Krait kissed Hagrid on the cheek.

"We brought some goodies to have a really good wake" she said. "I purloined some good stuff from the cellars…."

"Elf made wine?" said Hagrid hopefully.

"Yes" said Krait "And carrot cake the way Sirri makes it with brandy in."

"Now that's a princely send off!" said Hagrid. He had been crying and his eyes were swollen; and he wore a black armband that looked like it was made out of a rag dipped in boot polish.

"Where are we burying him?" Harry asked "The Forest?"

"Blimey, no!" said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the bottom of his shirt "Can yeh believe it Harry, the other spiders won't let me anywhere near their webs now Aragog's gone. Turns out it was on'y on his orders they didn't eat me!"

Harry found it only too easy to believe; but Hagrid was quite overcome, and told him, amazed that there had never before been any part of the forest he could not go, and how he had had a job getting hold of Aragog's body because he wanted to give him a nice burial. He burst into sobs again and both Harry and David patted an arm each consolingly.

-/-

The giant spider lay on its back, legs curled horribly.

"Do what yer have to do, Severus" said Hagrid.

"If one of the boys will help me…" said Severus.

"I will sir" said Harry. With all the trouble he had had from the acromantula and its descendants he found Hagrid's fulsome praise rather embarrassing, though he felt truly for the half giant's grief. He followed Severus out; and the potioneer showed him how to squeeze the sacs behind the pincers gently to milk out the fluid. They managed two and a half bottles full from each of the two sacs.

"That'll keep a few kids for a few years" said Severus softly "It was a clever suggestion of yours, Harry; and typical of you to think about how to use it for others. You could have had Horace's gratitude by telling him about this for his own personal gain."

"Oh I think Horace does well enough, whatever he may claim" said Harry dryly "And you may have Malfoy help but you take on kids without thought of cost to yourself, now you know there are others who'll care if you…" he tailed off

"If I die?" said Severus harshly

"Yeah" said Harry."

Severus nodded.

"It's unbelievable being loved" he said softly "To have a family who care…who'll stand there to take on responsibilities for each other….it's a great responsibility being loved too, because you can't let people down. I was afraid to love Lily's son as much as I hated James' son I think. Afraid of failing again…."

"But you won't, Scales" said Harry "None of us can fail the others; all we can do is our best and that is – because our best is collectively amazing – more than good enough. We're all afraid but we SHALL not fail!"

"Harry…you are the Chosen One. And THAT is why" said Severus softly. "Let's get back and get Hagrid's pet decently interred" he added swiftly, shying even now from too much emotion.

Harry touched his arm in a swift, comradely gesture.

-/-

Hagrid had already dug a grave just beyond the pumpkin patch and Harry could not help wondering if the giant spider would make good manure or would poison next year's crop. Hagrid carried the hulk of dead spider and heaved it into the hole with a big grunt. It hit the bottom with a rather sickening crunch and Hagrid started to cry again.

"Ah" said Severus "Why don't we pour a libation of the pumpkin wine that is my own brew on him?"

"Oh tha's really thoughtfull!" said Hagrid, tears of emotion coming to his eyes. "Will ya say a word or two, Severus? I ain't much hand at that."

Severus fetched a bottle and poured in a generous measure.

"For the friendship you have born Hagrid all these years, your memory will not die, Aragog" he said "There will never be another spider like you" he avoided meeting Harry's eyes as he said this, having chosen his words with care "And your last gift to the two legged denizens of this realm will ensure your name immortality. Beyond the veil may you find a tranquil web from which to watch."

"Tha' – tha' was beau'ful!" howled Hagrid, collapsing on the compost heap to cry.

Severus waved his wand briskly to fill the hole.

"Come on Hagrid" he said softly "Come and drown your sorrow and drink to your friend; for all friendship is sacred. It was not, after all, Aragog's fault that Riddle used his existence to accuse you of Myrtle's death; he, like you, was a victim of that nasty piece of work. Let us drink to friendship and loyalty, for there is no question but that your loyalty to Aragog and his to you should become one of the legends of Hogwarts."

Hagrid stared.

"Do – do yeh MEAN that Severus?" he asked.

"Yes I actually do" said Severus "We've had our differences – and I doubt we'll ever be close friends – but I do admire your staunch loyalty to your friends. And I also, now I find that it was only Aragog's orders that kept you safe, admire his loyalty to you. There was more to him than I would have previously believed; and I will willingly drink to his memory in that respect. Loyalty is always to be commended. It is such a rare commodity" he added softly.

_**A/N Another bit taken from canon in here but with different people involved… I shouldn't like an acromantula for a pet but I do quite like spiders and this way Aragog actually gets a better sendoff I think than Horace's fatuous insincerity. **_


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: The Thot Plickens**

The baby was, by human standards, tiny.

In many ways she looked more like a premature human baby than an elf; her ears were pointed but not large and her eyes big in her head but not the huge eyes that made elves look almost, as Krait described it, like bad copies of anime figures.

"She wouldn't actually be out of place in 'Akira' actually" said Krait. The MSHG had watched it on the clockwork projector only last term, the theme, a group of teenagers held together by ties of friendship and pitted against vast implacable evil, had been quite poignant to them.

"What is we calling her?" asked Sirri "I can't pronounce those Japanese names!"

Krait laughed.

"She's such a lovely little flower, I thought Rose would be appropriate. Roses are so intricate, and so beautiful they are the antithesis of what HE stands for. Rose Gaunt; a sister for Salazar."

"You're not adopting her as a daughter even though her mother doesn't want her?" asked Hermione.

"No…she'll be our ward but it's important to keep the generations separate" said Krait. "She is Salazar's sister by right; I don't know if that will ever be important, but it might be. No, it's not a hunch, nor even a premonition. It just suits my sense of what is right. And when Abigail is able to wake up, she may wish to have Salazar back; and she may wish to give his sister a home as company for him too. These things we have to think about."

"Won't you hate giving up Salazar?" asked Harry.

"Hurt like hell" said Krait, frankly "But she IS his mother; she SHOULD have rights if she is prepared to take the responsibility. It's not like a divorce with acrimony over who has which child; I'm sure Abigail and I can discuss matters amicably. She might feel he's grown up too much by the time she's back to normal and has completed her education and prefer just to visit him. But I have to be prepared for any eventuality. If I'm even alive to hand him over" she added.

"That's a bit defeatist" said Hermione.

Krait shrugged.

"No, it's realistic. We might all ground the killing curse and die together, though I doubt it. Sev and I are ready to be the first sacrifice; you and Ron are the second."

"Why aren't we the first?" demanded Ron "We're seventeen now after all!"

"Because Sev claimed first right to die for Lily's son when you were still shitting in your nappies" said Krait "And where he goes, I go. Rank hath its, er, privileges. I guess Sirius is first sacrifice too actually."

Ron humphed; but accepted Krait's words.

"We're not planning to die though, are we?" said Hermione "We're aiming to live!"

"Damn right" said Krait "But realistic is NOT defeatist. I have two plans; the one I hope to follow and the one that must be followed if I don't get the first plan going to schedule. You'll understand when you and Ron start breeding, Hermione; having little lives under your care makes a big difference in how blasé you may be when walking knowingly into peril."

Hermione looked thoughtful and nodded; Ron just blushed violently.

"If Harry dies I might as well too" said Ginny.

"And cause your parents hurt? Harry wouldn't like that either, would you?" Krait looked at Harry.

"No" said Harry.

"Sometimes it is greater to stay behind and work for the ideals of your love" said Krait "And then if you're taking risks it doesn't matter; and you can be the one to take the risks you'd not put onto others. Severus and I are agreed that that is how we would do it, especially while the children are young. Fishface has caused too many orphans already. Living is sometimes a more courageous path than dying."

Ginny looked mutinous, but nodded. Harry took her hand.

Rose opened her eyes and burped loudly.

"And THAT" said Krait "Sums up the futility of this conversation since we cannot see the future clearly…out of the mouths of babes and sucklings as they say."

It raised a laugh; and lightened the mood!

-/-

Members of the Order of the Phoenix were quietly drifting in to Hogwarts in ones and twos; Tonks and Lupin, each looking gloomy, Tonks with her normally bright hair dull and mousey thereby exasperating Krait who could see how much in love they were; Kingsley Shacklebolt; and Alastor Moody, who Krait could not resist asking if he had been appointed chief Knicker Nicker to the Ministry yet.

Moody stared a moment, then roared with laughter.

"It was you, was it you young limb?" he said "Well! And I thought you were going to set mouse traps, you said?"

Krait shrugged.

"I lied" she said. "Knickers were FAR more entertaining."

"Well, don't expect me to be trusting as a matter of course" said Moody "Constant vigilance!"

"Constant vigilance did NOT allow the Order to stop Mundungus Fletcher from stealing one of Fishface's Horcuces" said Krait dryly "He's a far better target to watch than Severus; not because he's a follower of Fishface but because he's a cowardly sneaking little thief who'd babble any secret to save his own skin and who'd do something to endanger the rest of us without even realising it because he was doing something else self-serving. Like when he went off to make a second hand cauldron deal and left Harry defending Dudley against Dementors."

"He is a liability" grunted Moody "But he has his uses."

"Yeah" said Krait "He's a GOOD bad example."

Moody managed another laugh!

-/-

Dumbledore visited the MSHG in their deliberations, blinking in some surprise to see Dudley Dursley there but nodding and greeting him courteously enough.

"I invited him sir" said Draco a little defiantly "He wanted to know what's really going on. He's got cast iron ones because he's dealing with the truth really well."

"My congratulations, Mr Dursley" said Dumbledore "I am glad that you have overcome then handicap of foolishly doting parents to find a mind of your own. I did not think you had it in you; I was wrong and I apologise for doubting your abilities. Welcome to the team here; though you cannot fight Lord Voldemort I am sure Harry is glad of the moral support from you."

"Yes I am" said Harry "The Big D is a good sport and I'm glad to have him around."

He had never thought before this term that he would ever have said THAT!

"It – it's good to have friends" said Dudley "Real ones. I – I like visiting. If it's okay with you?"

"Oh yes, it is" said Dumbledore "Of course the means by which these young rascals travel around the country makes a mockery of the charms to protect Hogwarts, but there!"

"Well nobody else can use them because we never told those of our parents whose houses we used" said Abrax "So none of Fishface's supporters can take advantage of them because they can legilimens our parents 'til they're blue in the face and still get the answer that they know of no secret way."

"An excellent precaution" murmured Dumbledore forbearing to point out that torture would be the more likely way of questioning than legilimensy. At least if Riddle was present to question any, HIS skills would not penetrate what was not known! "I should like to talk to the senior members only here" he added "So would anyone from the fifth year and below withdraw?"

Ernie Macmillan hesitated.

"You really mean Harry and his closest friends, don't you sir?" he said.

"Why Mr Macmillan, your tact and perspicacity does you credit" said Dumbledore "I believe that is what I really meant; but if I said that, I should be knee deep in young Marauders and Ginny Weasley."

Ernie smiled an understanding and insufferably pompous smile.

"Best of luck, Harry, with whatever you're up to" he said "Anything I can do to help, you have only to call on me. Come on Luna, that meant you too" as Luna Lovegood drifted vaguely around uncertain whether to leave or not.

Dudley hurriedly left through the appropriate stall; this was none of his business either!

-/-

"I believe" said Dumbledore "The time has come for Draco to kill me."

"How are we going to pull it off?" asked Draco "A duel on a tower and a switching charm as you supposedly go over?"

"An interesting idea – with Miss Granger in charge of the switching I presume?" said Dumbledore.

"She is the best" said Draco.

"That's the truth!" Ron whispered to Hermione. She actually blushed!

Dumbledore gave them a mildly reproving look.

"Once I am officially dead" he said firmly "And you are the only people who are to know that I am NOT dead – then Riddle will start to move. His secret supporters will come out of the woodwork in the Ministry and we shall be able to see who they are and what they intend. It will be uncomfortable for a while for many; dangerous for most muggle born and those who are not considered pure wizards." He glanced at Remus Lupin.

Remus nodded.

"At least we shan't have that Umbridge woman" he said "She has a real down on those who aren't as pure as can be. What's the real story behind that, by the way? Was she REALLY a Deatheater?"

Krait grinned.

"She had the Dark Mark on her arm when she was arrested anyway" she said. "And it can ONLY be set by a Parseltongue spell."

"I see" said Lupin gravely. Krait grinned. She thought he probably did.

"Her nephew Martin is a bit of a pain, though his sister's not too bad" said Draco "I was half considering dragging him to Azkaban just as an object lesson; I think he could be broken through to."

"Do it" said Severus.

"You KNOW I can't sanction something like that, Severus" said Dumbledore, mildly.

"Yes but I wasn't asking you to sir" said Severus. "If he uses his initiative and you catch him at it, that's your business."

"You are ALL insubordinate" said Dumbledore.

"It's required of would be heroes isn't it?" said Hermione dryly "Or you'd not have blinked at Harry's frequent insubordinations all these years."

Dumbledore sighed.

"Caught out by the cleverest witch of her age again" he said. "Back to business; Draco, he will NOT believe that you have defeated me in a duel.

"But he knows Narcissa begged my aid." Said Severus "He WILL believe Draco killed you with my help."

Dumbledore nodded.

"I was thinking that near the end of term would be good" he said "And allow time for the trouble to start. You Aurors will smuggle those at risk to safety."

"First" said Krait "We need to have er, constant vigilance over the efficiency of our aurors and protectors; and I say that we have a pair of people here who are not efficient for an easily remedied flaw."

"Indeed?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Lumme" said Ron "Duck and run NOW if anyone here is in love and not sorted out, she's about to sort you."

"Did you really mind?" demanded Hermione waspishly.

"No…but it's embarrassing while she's lecturing" said Ron.

"Ron…You're digging yourself a hole" murmured Draco.

"Stay out of this Malfoy" said Hermione.

"I think I shall…it's safer. Even for a friend I'm not tangling with Granger in a mood, Ron, sorry."

"Children please" said Krait; and they ALL glared at her. "Tonks, Remus, when are you getting married?"

"Krait, really!" said Remus "I'm too old and too poor for her, it's ridiculous…"

"Oh, do you really enjoy making her miserable? Is that what you get off on?" demanded Krait "Tell me, is that from the furry little problem that you have or is it just the generations of refined cruelty that wizards have accumulated in their casual unkindness to elves and goblins? Is it that she's a half blood that permits you to torture her and dispose of her in the depths of misery? Do you deny the right of Severus and me to be happy together because he's the same age as you and I'm younger than Tonks?"

"Krait Malfoy you have no right to…"began Tonks furiously. Remus was staring open mouthed in wordless anger.

"I have the right to stand up for another woman Nymphadora Tonks" said Krait implacably "He is being selfish to wallow in his own misery without considering what that is doing to you too."

"Merlin's beard do you think I would deliberately hurt her?" yelled Lupin "I want to protect her – and she needs protecting from me! I have no right to force myself on her!"

"No; but nor do you have the right to prevent her from coming willingly to you if you love her too. If you do NOT love her, that is unfortunate and her misery cannot be prevented" said Krait "For I know you would neither of you accept the sham of a one sided love. But you DO love her, don't you? Enough to be infuriated at my deliberate casting up of how cruel you are thoughtlessly being through a misguided desire to do the right thing. The right thing, both of you idiots, is to tell each other how you feel and get together. If it feels right, you should do it. Now the rest of us are going to leave you here – and Myrtle's NOT going to eavesdrop – and you aren't coming out until you've had a good snog and set the date. Come on the rest of you."

And with that she marched out.

"High handed, ain't you?" grunted Moody.

"Sometimes someone has to be" said Krait "And seeing people who mean something to you eating their hearts out means someone needs to do something; and pussyfooting around tactfully hasn't done a thing so the time has come for blunt."

"And nobody does blunt quite like our Krait" said Draco.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: Wormtail**

Draco took the opportunity to talk to Martin Umbridge, sending for the boy in his capacity as head of the school. Young Umbridge stood sulkily.

"You're a bully" said Draco.

Umbridge shrugged.

"I and my friends get our retaliation in first" he said.

"Mostly to kids smaller than you" said Draco scathingly.

"Like Malfoys tend to do" said Umbridge.

"Like Malfoys in recent generations have been inclined to do" said Draco. "And do you know why?"

"Because the Malfoys are the top of the heap and don't have to be bound by lesser beings and their rules I suppose."

"Wrong. Because the Malfoys have been tricked into a slavery so profound it would make you sick. I notice you didn't have the balls to come on the Azkaban trip."

"Why should I? If it's a salutary lesson I wasn't planning on ending up in there."

"It was a trip to show the DADA class what true nastiness is like…there are still Dementors there under some Ministry control and it was to give people an idea of the negative emotions they can invoke in a controlled environment so they'd have some idea of how to fight them if they found themselves pitted against He who must not be named."

"Now I rather thought you were on his side" drawled Martin Umbridge.

"Well you thought wrong; and there are good reasons for all my family's actions and my own" said Draco. "The point is, that any bullying stems from a view that you have some kind of right to push people around because you are in some way inherently better. Now from that point of view, that might makes right, you should agree that Lord Voldemort – I fear not to name him" Draco taking advantage of the time and knowing that the eleven seventeen to Glasgow was passing not so far away singing away with its wheels "- that he has every right to impose his will on those people who have not delved so deep into the Dark Arts as he had."

Martin shrugged.

"It has a certain logic to it."

"Well, maybe you will alter your view about what people have a right to do" said Draco, who had been staring at the boy. _**ssss**__Hear me – obey me __**ssss**_ he said "Touch your nose and stand on one leg."

Umbridge instantly obeyed.

"THAT is what he does to his followers" said Draco "A compulsion tied to Parseltongue; a compulsion so deep, so profound, that if I ordered you even to kill your kid sister or your parents you would. And I could make you forget straight afterwards. And you didn't even feel me put it in."

Umbridge stared in shock.

"Come here and I'll remove it" said Draco. The boy started to hop, still holding his nose. "Damn, walk normally" said Draco. "I'm not good at doing anything like that with the subtlety HE can manage.. it's not something I'd see myself doing as a general thing. I DON'T need to control the way people act and think; I'm not an inadequate with delusions of adequacy. There." He touched the boy's forehead and removed the compulsion, leaving a memory of its existence and how it had worked.

"Merlin's beard!" Umbridge was white faced and shaking "I had no idea you were so powerful!"

"Power should be used responsibly – not for personal gain" said Draco, coldly "I wanted to make a demonstration; because deep down I don't think you really are a bully, you are clever and beyond that. Surely you did not like what your aunt did when she was here?"

"She's a very scary person" admitted Martin "But I never thought she would turn out to be a Deatheater… I just thought she hated those who were not near pureblood."

"Then she certainly shared the ideals of the Deatheaters and their master" said Draco "And the irony is that HE is a half breed…his mother was a witch of one of the most pure lines; but his father was a muggle. And indeed his mother's line was so pure it got inbred and was full of loonies and morons as tends to happen with too much consanguinity. Now, I have borrowed a magical device from the Headmaster to permit you to see some memories of others. Come with me to the Pensieve."

Draco had borrowed some memories from his father; and he also showed the boy Bellatrix Black's 'training' by Voldemort. He also showed memories from Severus and Sirius and Krait about Peter Pettigrew

Umbridge emerged from that experience somewhat chastened too.

"Now for the final proof have you the balls to come to Azkaban with me and see the most pathetic of his disciples?" asked Draco "The man bullied unwittingly by his well-meaning but bone-headedly hearty friend until he turned to the flatteries of a darker master and exchanged a humiliating but affectionate overlordship for a slavery so profound he cannot escape from it because he dares not and is not even sure how he feels any more? He has been tortured subtly until he loves his torturer – it is a well known phenomenon written about in the muggle world, but passed over in ours as unpleasant things so often are because the ministry itself in the persons of those like your aunt reserve the right to use unpleasantness. They are no better in some ways than Voldemort himself; and I do not doubt that he has infiltrated the ministry to a higher level than your bitch of an aunt!"

"How can anyone love their torturer?"

"It's a very personal relationship – you saw it with my aunt Bella" said Draco "The prisoner is isolated, his persecutor is the only form of human contact he has; and skilful use of giving concessions can lead to a sick but close relationship. I tell you this in the hopes you never use that knowledge adversely; because I don't think you've a sick mind that would. Will you come?"

"I – yes" said Umbridge.

"Good. I need to borrow a guide."

The guide was David.

"That kid?" Martin Umbridge was both taken aback and wary; David, sometimes known as Mad-dog Fraser had never let him bully either himself or his friends.

"This kid is the second most talented geomancer in the school" said Draco "And I didn't think we needed to involve a teacher."

-/-

Draco did not bother with formal permission to enter Azkaban.

He laid in a temporary compulsion on the guard.

"The Force has a profound effect upon the weak minded" said David, dryly. Draco grinned appreciation.

"We are NOT the droids they are looking for" he said. "Feel the despair of the Dementors Martin?"

Martin shivered and nodded.

"What happens if they come for us?" he asked.

"Fraser and I kill them" said Draco coolly "We can protect you; we've trained in how to."

That perhaps was as frightening as anything to the boy.

-/-

Pettigrew was pathetically pleased to have a visitor.

"Lucius' boy!" he said "Did Lucius send you? Or – or Miss Krait?"

"Krait knows I'm here" said Draco "She bade me tell you that she is thinking of you… but she dares not release you. She sent you a gift."

"A gift?"

Draco reached through the bars to touch the pathetic rat animagus, trying not to shudder.

"She showed me how to do this" he said and searched for the compulsion, revealing it to Pettigrew as well as removing it. "Now you can make your own decisions; and I advise you to choose wisely. You made one choice already you have regretted time and again. What will you choose now?"

"I will follow Mistress Krait if she asks it of me" said Pettigrew "She loathes me but she has always been kind in an offhand way….she really showed you how to do this? So Severus is not….not controlled? Or Lucius?"

Draco shrugged.

"I can tell you that I suppose since I am going to make you forget this entire conversation….until the right time. When the time comes to choose, if you choose for her, you will remember everything. If not….you will be fighting against her anyway. You can choose her and atone your crime to James by choosing also for his son, whom she supports."

"Ah!" Wormtail gasped. "She goes so far against – HIM?"

"You know how powerful she is" said Draco "You must know she would not support a cause she thought doomed to failure. Will you atone and turn your coat again? You have seen how he uses you."

Wormtail choked and gasped in horror as his silver replacement hand started to move up to grasp his throat.

"Hell!" said Draco "THAT I didn't anticipate. Hang in there Pettigrew…." He synchronised his blood, felt the heady surge of power from the rest of the blood group, not just Krait and Severus who had been supporting him hitherto. "_Viva Manus!_" he cried, pointing at the silvery hand, changing it, transforming it into a hand of flesh, draining the magic from within it to power the spell, using instructions from the cool mind-voice of Severus to sing the required chants to nullify curses. Slowly, so slowly, the hand started to open, to remove itself from the throat of the now blue Pettigrew; and gasping, crepitant breaths started to fill the lungs of the half throttled man.

"I – it's FLESH!" said Pettigrew looking at it "MASTER! You are more powerful…."

"I had help" said Draco "MY leader – Harry Potter – and my friends, like Krait, do not leave any of us to operate without support. I am not given tasks outside my capabilities with no backup when things go wrong. James, for all his bullish idiocy was always ready to turn aside to help a friend. I ask again, how will you choose?"

"I – I choose Miss Krait" said Pettigrew "And…and James' son. You can win if you are so powerful…. I was afraid…. I did not want to be on the losing side."

Draco nodded.

"And now, of course, the option to leave you here is impossible….when he engineers a general breakout again your hand will be obvious…. Ah, excellent" as Krait turned up with Beloc and Sirri.

"Meh, shit happens and complications too" said Krait "Come on you pathetic creature; we'll look after you."

She apparated neatly into the cell with the elves and they all dissapparated with Pettigrew.

"Was I just an excuse or was that all unscheduled?" asked Martin.

"Entirely unscheduled" said Draco "Krait asked me to remove his compulsion so he made his final choice as a free man; but I never counted on the hand being cursed. You just witnessed stuff I'd not have shown you willingly."

"I shan't talk about it" said Umbridge "I – I'd like to learn more though. If you can fight against the Dark Arts with such fluid smoothness it does look as though Harry has a real chance against – against You-Know-Who. And I'm taking in your lessons about what bullying can lead to you know. Will you teach me more?"

"You will split from your gang and join the muggle studies hobby group; and you'll apologise to your sister for pushing her around and support her against your family's wish to make an advantageous marriage for her to some old git as soon as she's of age which is one thing she's scared of" said Draco, Peta Umbridge having confessed this to Hayley and Emerald.

Martin nodded; and Draco felt it a more profound agreement than had he made protestations of compliance.

-/-

"Where am I?" Asked Pettigrew, weakly.

"That, I am afraid, I prefer not to reveal to you just yet" said Krait. "Peter, you just made the best choice of your life; and I promise I will protect you."

Wormtail's eyes filled with tears.

"You – I believe you really mean that!"

"I do. I may not like you; but I keep my promises. And I promised to myself that I would try to rescue you from HIM one day even if you died for it; because at least you would die free" said Krait. "I feel sorry for you; and I cannot imagine how terrible it must have been to spend years as a rat, the familiar of a juvenile wizard and subjected to the indignities that are enacted in Transfigurations Classes. I also can appreciate how unpleasant it must have been being pushed around by the great James Potter who expected admiration and loyalty without thinking how damaging his affectionately unkind nickname could be. As you have seen when Harry saved your life, he is more compassionate than his beef-brained father. And Sirius has learned more compassion; and Moonie Lupin was always a gentle kind man. You will remain in a degree of isolation until all this is over, covered by a Fidelius Charm so HE can't find you. I'll fix a body in the cell; they'll give out that you died in there, I can arrange that easily."

"With – with Polyjuice potion like Barty Crouch?"

"Something like that" said Krait.

"Can – can I see Harry Potter?" whispered Peter Pettigrew. "I – I should like to thank him for saving my life and – and pledge my support."

"That can be arranged" said Krait. "He'll be suspicious of you; naturally. But Draco is a legilimens of no mean ability and he will talk to him first about what he found. I'll have food sent to you now."

-/-

Draco told the Kindred what he had found in Pettigrew's head.

"He's a poor confused little rat" he said "And I choose the word with care; his time spent as a rat and the attendant fears and uncertainties, belonging to a kid and having no control over his life, that has left his mark as surely as the rending to his soul over the betrayal of James Potter….. Fishface did a grand job on him, I found a conversation where he was praising rats as nice clean animals, not like dogs that will happily roll in unnameable filth – which is true enough of course and therefore had more impact. Also that stags are really stupid. Another indisputably true fact; and I do wonder if James wasn't influenced by his choice of animagus, a magnificent looking form I grant you, but best, when all is said and done, at posturing his horns. If they knew the forms, they should have worked out which one was the traitor; dog, for all its other faults is FAITHFUL. Rat has an eye to the main chance. He almost managed to go against nature, though the knowledge of how powerful we are helped…thanks, Sev, I couldn't have managed that if you hadn't pushed me aside and taken over, your knowledge is formidable; why don't we do chanting classes?"

"I want to teach it as part of DADA in the upper sixth" said Severus "Only the number of students ready for it is limited…perhaps we should have chanting as a class lower down the school, practising minor charms and counter charms, to get into the way of it. I learned how by reading in the library about it when I was hiding from James and co one time…. I suppose every thing that seems bad at the time can one day become an advantage if you look for advantages within it" he added. "His conversion is true then?"

Draco shrugged.

"What is true is that he loathes Fishface wholeheartedly and has compassion deep down for Harry; and a strong dose of remorse for what he did to James and Lily. He had not realised the true difference between his two masters; that James' rule was light and based on bonds of affection and loyalty. James would never have betrayed a friend; it never occurred to him that he would so alienate one he liked that he would himself be betrayed. He never knew he hurt Peter by calling him Wormtail: and therein lies a big difference. Fishface uses the name for deliberate cruelty. And, paradoxically, his years as a rat were some of the happiest of his poor little life; because Charlie and Ron were both kind to him. By Merlin, Sirs, it's hard to see that he's the same age as you two; even after all you've been through he looks a million years older! Like Lupin did" he added softly "Until Krait forced him to be happy."

"Oy!" said Krait "I never FORCED him to be happy I just forcibly pointed out that he was being a blockhead and an unkind blockhead at that."

"Association with the Dark Lord places an intolerable strain upon the nerves at the best of times" said Severus "Being his constant companion through times that must have held a high level of waspishness – I employ litotes there of course – must have been terrible. He must have lived in constant terror; but the terror of leaving was greater. Harry, will you be able to forgive him?"

"I – I don't know" said Harry "But I'll certainly talk to him and tell him that I will forget it if he supports me. That's as far as I can go."

"And still generous" said Severus "But then you are. It's one of your more endearing features. Try not to be too disgusted if he fawns on you like an unfree house elf; it's what he's been trained into."

Harry shuddered; but nodded.

In the event he found his heart so filled with pity for the pathetic creature that was Peter Pettigrew that he forgave him fully – to Hermione's disapproval and Ron's doubts if it were wise – and found it hard to escape the protestations of loyalty as the rat animagus did in fact fawn upon him.

It was more than one enemy down, as Krait said; for it was one friend up, even if the friend involved was of rather a dubious status!

_A/N I find Peter a moderately disgusting creature; it's hard work writing him in any wise sympathetically. I try to be dispassionate about the poor little rat because he really is pathetic; and though most of it is his own fault a lot of the blame does lay squarely on the shoulders of the other Marauders. But then teenage boys are rarely the most sensitive of animals in the world. One can only assume that Peter had a pretty ghastly childhood to start him on the path of cringing and fawning and laughing at the underdog to make himself feel better. Canon mentions a mother but no father; perhaps he was illegitimate which seems to carry a greater stigma in the wizarding world than for a muggle, though when Peter was born the custom in the muggle world of printing ILLEGITIMATE in big red letters on the birth certificate had only been gone for a few years and it was not comfortable for a muggle without a father so in the more old fashioned wizarding world one may conjecture that it was more so._

_Any thoughts?_


	30. Chapter 30

_**This is a shorty but I want the next chapter all in one chunk**_

**Chapter 30: Preparations**

Peter Pettigrew gazed at the collected Kindred, saw Sirius Black and squealed in abject terror, trying to scramble even further back on the comfortable bunk that had been quickly installed for his comfort. They had placed him in a room walled off in the chamber of secrets that Krait and Severus had prepared with the Fidelius Charm as a hiding place against time of need as a supplement to the Room of Requirement; and with a secret gate to the storeroom of a Sainsbury's store in Glasgow for emergency food supplies. Peter was fed here by house elves and had no knowledge of the gate in his private bathroom.

"Don't be an idiot" said Sirius irritably "Would I be a party to rescuing you if I meant to kill you? I wanted to, I confess – but I got over it. You've had a few months in that place – I had thirteen years. I'm sure you can understand that I was feeling a little…intense about it. Unlike Harry I don't forgive you; but I'm prepared to put the past aside for him and give you the chance to start again."

"Oh wonderful and benevolent member of the mighty Black family! How generous!" Pettigrew tried to sneer.

"Don't do that!" said Harry, sharply "He may not have been Mister Tact in your childhood either but you didn't have to run with the Marauders you know."

"We used to have fun together" said Sirius softly.

"No Sirius! YOU used to have fun, you and James! Moonie and me, we went along with stuff because we didn't want to be left out, but I remember often being scared of getting into trouble and you or James would just laugh and say that was half the fun. Fun? Do you think I enjoyed the detentions? The lines? The cleaning of flobberworms? I didn't I can tell you!"

"Well, no, but you pay for your fun… you never had to join in."

"And if I didn't, you and Prongs would look pityingly at me like you despised me…which you always did!" Pettigrew was sobbing.

"They were a pair of insensitive gits, Peter, but I recall you being quite gleeful if they were picking on someone else – like me" said Severus "But Sirius has grown up since; and doubtless also remembers, as many do, his schooldays through the roseate hue of many years, his brain, such as any Gryffindor has one, conveniently forgetting the unpleasant consequences of the fertile, puerile and nefarious imagination of Prongs Potter."

"Steady on Scales" said Sirius "You have Gryffindor wards!"

"All parents have their crosses to bear" said Severus, smiling warmly at David.

"Huh" said Abrax "It took us New Marauders to cross House boundaries" the New Marauders draped arms round each others' shoulders.

"A GOBLIN?" queried Pettigrew.

"Yup" said Kinat "Severus sponsored me; my parents can pay though. I'm a Gryff, so's Abraxus; Hawke, Rom and Bil are Slythers."

"A Malfoy? In GRYFFINDOR?" Pettigrew was even more bemused.

"Things have changed since your day – and mostly for the better" said Harry tensely "More tolerance among lots of people. But we keep the tradition of the Marauders; Ron, Hermione and me are the YOUNG Marauders, this bunch of reprobates are the NEW Marauders. But whatever else you've been, you're still a FOUNDER Marauder and if that means anything to you Sirius is ready to hold out a hand to help you up. He's come a long way and learned the compassion a teenage boy who has known nothing but an easy life finds hard to find."

"What is to happen to me?" asked Pettigrew.

"We're keeping you here under Fidelius Charm until we've killed Voldemort" said Sirius "Not because we think you might run to him and bleat; but because he has a nasty habit of finding those he considers unfaithful and finding entertaining – from his point of view – means of demise for them. And he IS a rather good legilimens. It's for our safety and yours both."

"Look" said Ron, scarlet to the ears "I – I really loved you as Scabbers… I know I said rotten things about only having a rat; I was disappointed not to have an owl to write home…but I really worried when you were going missing in case Crookshanks ate you!"

"So did I" said Pettigrew.

"Well, anyway" said Ron "I think Wormtail was a rotten nickname… Scabbers isn't much better, it was Charlie's idea anyway; so you ought to have a new Marauder nickname to – to signify your new life of free will."

"Well said young Ron" said Sirius softly "It was damnably insensitive…you should have protested. But I guess….James did always rather carry people along, didn't he?"

"Protest and anger the only person who had shown me any kind of friendship even though it was patronising? I do not think so!" said Pettigrew.

Sirius nodded.

"Yes… I suppose so. Have you any ideas for yourself?"

Pettigrew shook his head.

"If I'd had any ideas then to advance I might have suggested something better I guess… but I'm not clever like that. I – I was well treated by the young Weasleys" he admitted.

"You picked names that reflected something of the physical nature of your forms" said Krait "What I think of first about a rat is little beady, sharp, intelligent eyes…. And quivering whiskers. As with Padfoot, I could suggest 'Sharpeyes', or maybe just 'Whiskers'" she added tactfully, since Peter's own eyes were more rheumy than sharp.

"Scitterclaws" suggested David

"Nibbles" said Ellie.

"Wallrunner" suggested Abrax.

"Scrabbles" put in Ron "Which is what I MEANT to call you."

"Sniffer" suggested Bil "Rats have a good sense of smell."

Krait at this juncture boxed both Kinat and Romulus on the ears on overhearing Kinat murmuring to Rom that in light of Crookshanks' ambitions for the rat, and bearing in mind another rodent feature, 'Aperitif' would be a good name as in 'A Pair o' Teef'. She chastised Kinat for the comment and Rom for laughing too much at it.

"Whiskers" said Peter Pettigrew "I like 'Whiskers' best of those."

"Whiskers then you shall be" said Sirius "And let's toast the new name in Pumpkin Juice; the little ones aren't allowed wine and I don't trust them not to skank some if there was any here."

It was a little thing perhaps; but there is power in names, and not just in the way Voldemort could home in on his, reflected Krait. Being Krait not Augusta meant a lot to her; names made a difference to the perceptions of others. And that this disparate group of children should take an interest in changing his nickname might also mean something to Pettigrew and give him a first glimpse of self confidence.

Certainly he seemed a little more relaxed and less miserable!

-/-

Krait contacted her father shortly after this.

"Draco has a plan" she said "Dumbledore knows he's been worrying about something; but you know what that interfering old man is like – thinks he can fix everything and even bring Draco over to his own side."

"Can he?" the high thin voice asked.

Krait grinned.

"What do you think?" she said "Even laying aside Draco's own feelings, don't you think his first concern would be for his family and what betrayal would mean to them?"

"It is good…though I do not like the way the Malfoys seem often to put their own family first, even before me. You will use your relationship with them to wean them away from this undesirable clannishness."

Krait bowed her head as in acquiescence.

"I can try. With Lucius there's some chance of success; Narcissa loathes me however. I have precious little influence there. And I have to say she's not my favourite person either."

"Very well… tell me more of Draco's plan" said Voldemort.

"He plans to sob out your orders to Dumbledore and tell him that you have plans to send him support. He will tell him that you have managed to find a way to slip Deatheaters into the castle and that he is to meet them on the North Tower to have them attack the castle and distract the other staff so that Draco can himself kill his target. Naturally, Dumbledore will rush to the North Tower – probably calling upon Severus to aid him – whereupon Draco, helped if need be by Severus, will disarm him unawares and force him off. A tragic accident. Unless you want it claimed and to have the Dark Mark sent up."

Voldemort considered this.

"With Dumbledore out of the way we can move more openly; send up Morsmorde. Will you too help Draco?"

"I thought to let him blood himself if he could; you recall I deemed him too young to help punish Von Strang" she said calmly. "I shall be on hand of course; and as a rearguard in case any of Dumbledore's closest minions decide to interfere. I shouldn't think anyone ought to find out; but you never know. Especially Harry Potter, who has a decided tendency to materialise in the most unlikely places, and where he can cause most trouble."

"Quite" said Voldemort. "It seems a well thought out plan; and I fancy I detect much of my daughter's hand in it. I do not believe Draco Malfoy is subtle enough to use the old fool's pride and weaknesses against him."

"Oh Draco's no idiot; I didn't have to hint very hard for him to start coming up with details" said Krait. "He's more subtle than Lucius, and will make an excellent lieutenant I think when he is fully mature."

It implied that it had been her plan, letting Voldemort think that he had seen through an inability in Draco to plan for himself without aid. In fact the plan had been thrashed out by Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and Krait with input from Severus. Harry was more alive to the concept of using the personality of the one you wish to manipulate since the affair of the Department of Mysteries; though Ron said the whole business of who was saying what to whom and what they would think made his head ache and it sounded like a story in Witch Weekly.

This earned him a pummelling from Hermione and a poke from Draco.

Ron enjoyed best making up with Hermione.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: Killing Dumbeldore**

"I hate fooling McGonagall" said Krait, regretfully "She's been good to me; and she's a true member of the Order."

"And we'll tell her later" said Severus. "At first she HAS to act naturally."

"Are we going to let Harry identify us?" asked Draco.

"Harry is going to fight us and we flee temporarily…. And then sneak back in and report" said Krait. "He will denounce us firmly, and Severus will point out how the boy is contumelious and arrogant like his father and has always had, like his father, an unreasoning despite for him. Few enough but the MSHG know how well they get on these days; for isn't Severus hard on ALL of us in class?"

Draco nodded.

"And he and I have duelled; and didn't used to get on. He can mutter about betrayal and I call Hermione some less than pretty names and we stop talking – in public" he said. "How long have we to keep this pretence up?"

"As long as it takes for the Ministry to let its darker members to crawl out of the woodwork" said Krait. "Then we set people in place to quietly round them up, you make a Convolvumort broadcast and declare your name and true allegiance, he comes howling in looking for vengeance backed up by all his deatheaters, 'cos you can bet a thousand galleons to a house elf's tea towel that he'll have released them; and then we have them all lined up for the magical goblin bullets Kinat's father is having made for us to fly from our non-magical AK47 wands, and all of us dosed to our gills on Felix Felicis. With the MSHG you know, I don't even think we'll need the SAS…. I'd rather keep it a private, wizarding affair anyway. Harry goes out first and says it's him Voldemort is after, and does his not-dying bit; then we let fly."

"'Be just like Devil's Canyon back home'" quipped Draco.

"Wouldn't a wand as a lightsabre be fun?" said Krait.

"Hmm… Ignigladius?" suggested Draco.

"Sounds good… you're a decent spell designer you know Draco. I back you to do it if anyone can…. Severus is none so hot on Star Wars."

"Are you ready or are you going to chatter about films all night?" asked Severus, rather tightly.

"Given the choice I'd rather chatter about films all night" said Krait. "Did you get Able Baker Charlie up to the tower?"

Severus nodded, refusing to smile at her flippant name for the dummy that was to form the substitute body for Albus Dumbledore.

The Headmaster arrived at the tower; and the three supposed Deatheaters pulled up hoods. Hermione lurked by the dummy.

"It's not going to work" she said.

"Yes it is; so long as we all do our part" said Krait. "Everyone know what they're doing? Harry, you ready to _Accio_ Albus under the cloak on your broom?"

"Yes" said an invisible voice hovering by the tower.

"Everyone else behind us to seem to be battling unknown foes?"

"Here" Ron's voice floated up.

Krait nodded.

"Cue Professor and troubled boy….tell him for real Draco then you can answer truth."

Draco started a rambling monologue about his fear for his mother and father and his fear for himself and how there were to be a couple of Deatheaters on the tower soon to help him.

Severus stepped forward.

"Draco…"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Draco cried, Dumbledore's wand flying from his hand.

Krait meanwhile was working on the dummy, making it a non living but complete human body, exactly resembling Dumbledore.

" _Sectumsempra!" _ Severus shouted the spell, casting it at the dummy "_Avocado Kedavra!"_ he used Draco's spell on Dumbledore, turning him a delicate shade of green, but making sure that anyone below saw a green flash "_Expelliarmus" _ he cast on Dumbledore himself, launching the headmaster over the tower wall.

Hermione and Harry, their blood synchronised cast their spells with split second timing, Hermione switching the real professor for the dummy as he plummeted, and Harry using the summoning charm to take Dumbledore onto his broom and away.

Ron and Ginny were making enough noise downstairs to suggest a whole army of Deatheaters had broken in; and the sound of Professor Flitwick's squeaky voice rose demanding to know what was going on.

"Our cue to depart" said Severus picking up his broom. "Excuse me, Hermione… "_Stupify….Sectumsempra" _ he cast the curse with great delicacy to produce a cut across Hermione's cheek as she lay unconscious.

As Professors Flitwick and McGonagall arrived breathless at the top, three figures streaked away on brooms with Harry in hot pursuit, screaming epithets and casting curses narrowly missing the jinking figures. McGonagall raised her own wand; but with Harry flying like a mad thing, there was too much risk that he would be hit.

The three figures reached the boundary and disappeared with loud CRACs. Harry let his broom wobble to the ground and sank down a moment; which allowed Dumbledore under the cloak to get off. Slowly Harry flew back; and went straight to the huddled figure at the base of the tower.

Had Dumbledore not been laughing with glee a few minutes before on the back of his broom, Harry would have truly believed that this was his mentor; Krait had done a good enough job that for a moment grief welled up at the sight, enough to add to his acting. He worked on not doing a wry grin at the thought that Severus would consider that good since in his opinion Harry could not act his way out of a paper bag and was the worst liar in the universe. He had to believe this body; had to make his hatred well up again; had to dwell on past humiliations.

It should be easy to be down; soon he would face death. And yet in so many ways, Harry had never been happier, surrounded by friends, old enemies among them, even Dudley! And of course Ginny… he should never have let her get close perhaps; but Krait had a point too, seize the day, live for the moment, be happy.

He thought firmly of his parents, who died for him and for others; and that helped the well of grief to form.

He was crying softly when McGonagall reached him and looked in horror on the body.

"Professor!" she cried.

"There's not even a spark of life" said Harry dully "I looked… I used my wand."

McGonagall swayed.

"Oh Merlin! Albus…. Harry what happened?"

"I saw Professor Dumbledore talking with someone going to the tower… I thought it looked like Draco." Said Harry "And… and I heard something about Deatheaters coming. So – so I told Ron and Hermione to go up there and I went up on my broom….and there were three cloaked figures there, Draco was one of them I'm sure, he'd pulled his hood up; the others were hooded. Draco disarmed the Professor and the others started attacking – I'm certain one of them was Snape!"

"Severus? But I thought you got on well with him now!"

"I – he's been lulling me into a false sense of security perhaps" said Harry.

McGonagall looked at him suddenly, suspiciously.

"Harry there's more to this than meets the eye" she said, pointing her wand at the body "_Specialis Revelio!_" she said.

Harry squirmed.

"I see" said McGonagall "You could have told me you know."

"Albus wanted to have as few people knowing as possible" said Harry "Because all of us Gryffindors are rotten liars; only I had to know to pick him up after Hermione did the switching spell."

McGonagall sighed.

"Sometimes I think Albus never quite got past being fourteen" she muttered to herself. Harry was not quite sure he had heard her aright. "So, what I am to say is that you chased the miscreants in one of your usual daring and harebrained fits and identified two of the miscreants as Draco and Severus?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, that is what you said so I can repeat your testimony with perfect truth" said McGonagall briskly. "Now run along inside and be as loud as you like; I have a few things to say for I have every expectation that Albus is lurking nearby to hear the epitaphs he gets for there's nothing so vain as a man….and I'd rather you didn't hear them."

"No ma'am" said Harry, trying not to chuckle and firmly turning it into a spurious sob.

He heard

"You Blithering Idiot Albus…" as he rapidly left the scene. Somehow he anticipated that McGonagall's comments were due to go downhill from about there and tempted as he was to try to eavesdrop he had too much respect for his housemistress' skills to ever believe he might get away with it!

-/-

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny found themselves banished to the infirmary for shock and treatment for minor wounds – Ron had been loath to hurt his little sister for verisimilitude but Ginny had had no such scruples about hurting her brother and he sported a fine black eye and singed clothing. It was all very realistic.

-/-

Dumbledore's supposed death was like a shock wave through the castle; and Flitwick went in search of Severus the moment Harry's testimony came to his ears.

Severus was in his office with Draco.

He looked up.

"Ah Filius… Peeves is making a lot of noise this evening isn't he?"

"Where have you been, Severus?" demanded Flitwick.

"Where have I been? I haven't BEEN anywhere – if you mean have I left my office recently" said Severus. "I ignored a knock on my door earlier; Draco here wasn't feeling well so I was making a potion to improve his er state of mind….those love potions the Weasley twins make are getting out of hand in my opinion. I wasn't about to leave the lad for some trivial matter… nor give Horace the chance to whine about it being him who is potions master this year. Was it important then?"

Flitwick stared.

"I never know where I am with you Severus" he squeaked "But yes, it's serious. Dumbledore's dead."

Severus stared at him.

"I'm sorry? Did you say that Dumbledore's dead? I find that hard to credit. The old man has always given the impression of being indestructible. How can this be?"

Flitwick compressed his lips.

"He was murdered – by three Deatheaters on the North Tower. Hagrid saw a green flash up there – and the dark mark has been sent up. Didn't you feel anything?"

Severus let his hand drift to his left arm.

"Dead!" he said "Are you sure? I mean…"

"I have seen his body" said Flitwick grimly "With the marks of a spell I believe you called Sectumsempra on it…."

"And as I recall when Potter stole and looked into my research half my spells at least were stolen….the hoisting charm became a favourite of his as well I know" his eyes glittered dangerously. "Potter has been relatively well balanced of late, but he is known to get almost as hysterical as if he had boiled his brain in alihotsy….perhaps Potter senior left a diary or something and the boy has been given it – in Albus' usual misguided way – as a memento."

"THAT is unworthy, Severus" said Flitwick.

-/-

The staff discussed what to do next, Severus having come along as head of house. Some of the others might look at him suspiciously but there was nothing against him, as Krait reported to Voldemort.

"They suspect, because the ubiquitous Potter was there… I see what you mean about him being a nuisance" she said "And they're wondering whether to close the school, but they've decided to keep it open until after the funeral to give the pupils the chance to say goodbye. They're burying him here at the school in a stone coffin. That idiot Scrimgeour turned up with a delegation and Hogsmeade is filling with half the wizarding community. Some parents are taking their children home regardless; and not many will come back for the summer term, though I dare say those taking OWLs and NEWTs won't want to be deprived of years of work…I suppose McGonagall will be head now."

"Wrong" hissed Voldemort "Severus will be pleased… I have enough influence now in the ministry to have HIM made headmaster!"

"Excellent!" said Krait

"There will be other staffing changes" said Voldemort "For one the muggle studies teacher."

"Charity Burbage?" asked Krait, confused "She's a nonentity."

"Wrong" said her father "She teaches that muggles are no different to people; and for that she must be punished. You must bring her to me for discipline."

Krait blinked.

"I think it'll be noticed" she said mildly.

"She will resign her teaching position and you will bring her to me" said Voldemort. "One of my people will teach in her place; as will a Deatheater take over Dark Arts class."

"Very well, father" Krait's heart was in her mouth. Charity Burbage was a kindly old soul who never hurt anyone even if she had not got a clue about muggles for real "Though personally, having lived as one, I can't see that she's particularly knowledgeable about muggles and therefore no real danger."

"Do you defy me?" he demanded.

"No father" said Krait submissively "Just wondering if some idiot with more zeal than knowledge has fed you misleading information about the silly old bat."

"She teaches TOLERANCE!" shrieked Voldemort "And that must not be allowed! Muggles are inferior! Mud blood is inferior!"

"Like Potter who is a halfblood" nodded Krait "The taint will always show I suppose until at least one generation has submerged it…"

"Just do it" said Voldemort and cut the connection.

"Dangerous to taunt him about his blood" said Severus.

"He irritated me" said Krait. "His crap about blood when he's a half blood himself – what hypocrisy! What should we do about Professor Burbage?"

"We have no choice" said Severus harshly "We have to sacrifice her for Harry and the survival of the wizarding world."

Krait stared; then she started to cry.

Severus wrapped his arms around her.

"We cannot risk discovery – for Harry's sake" he said.

"Oh Severus! Isn't it to avoid things like that happening that we are fighting?"

"It is; but to avoid them happening wholesale we may have to stand by and see them happening to the few to save the many."

"I would rather attack early" said Krait. "Surely there has to be another way?"

"If you can think of one –or others of the group can – I'd be only too happy to hear it" said Severus.

Krait nodded.

"I'll sleep on it" she said. "Albus cannot have meant that we should sacrifice his people in order to round up traitors. Harry has his demands ready to publish; he can add a demand to have the members of the Ministry legilimensed if they don't crawl out of the woodwork in time."

Severus shrugged.

"Maybe…let us hope Albus will contact us so we can ask his advice."

-/-

Albus Dumbledore was waiting in the shrieking shack when Krait went to see him; as she suspected he might be.

"Ah my dear… I suppose the ministry will give me a wonderful send off, mouth empty platitudes about what a wonderful old fellow I was and breathe a collective sigh of relief to be rid of me" he said, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Sod the Ministry…we have a problem" said Krait tersely, and outlined it.

Dumbledore beamed.

"Then give her to him" he said.

"ALBUS! You cannot mean that!" cried Krait.

"Not as such….you must get Remus to take her into hiding, and remember to take some of her hair before you go."

"Polyjuice potion? But who would do that? I think he plans to torture her!"

"I will" said Albus calmly "You blooded me when you fixed my hand…. I suspect you can reduce any pain to the point I do not feel impelled to reveal myself."

"It doesn't last long."

"Come my child, are you telling me Severus is not capable of making an extending potion to add to it?"

"He has been working on one but it's not perfected; he's not sure there aren't side effects."

"Under the circumstances I would risk that readily… to be in the presence of Tom Riddle and see if there is a subtle clue that might help Harry?"

"And then die when he's tired of playing so you can't pass it on? Talk sense, Albus."

"I know you've talked about whether the whole group could resist the killing curse cast on one….it would be an opportunity to find out" said Dumbledore calmly.

"GRYFFS!" quoth Krait "Are you DETERMINED to be self sacrificing?"

"Technically speaking I am already dead" said Dumbledore "And frankly I did wonder if being available to die for Harry might be my true end….. my continued life is an ace in the hole he does not suspect. It seems there is a way I can use it to save poor Charity. You'd do it yourself my dear if your father did not require your presence."

"Yes" said Krait "I have considerable resistance to pain. I think it's an undue risk to our ace in the hole but I can't think of anything better; and it WILL give us the data on whether we can disperse the killing curse or not. I suppose I must accept your offer."

"What I like about you, my dear, is that you are amenable to logic and do not let your emotions cloud your better judgement" said Dumbledore.

"I stand aside from my emotions; I'll let you know all about THEM after this is over" said Krait.

"Oh dear, I fear you've been taking lessons from Minerva" said Dumbledore.

"THOSE lessons I didn't need" said Krait dryly "And Harry will never forgive you either if you do this and die, let alone forgiving me….if you die, I'll bloody well kill you, all right?"

_A/N Able Baker Charlie are the first three letters used in the American radio discipline; the international code now is alpha bravo charlie. Anyone brought up on the Richard Scarry books will however be familiar with the mouse baker, Able Baker Charlie._


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: Out of Charity with Fishface**

The funeral was impressive; half the wizarding world was there. The centaurs came to show their respects; though many students kept a healthy distance from them. Even the merfolk came up out of the lake singing strange, unearthly songs. The whole of the Order of the Phoenix was there; and Tonks had her hair back to its usual shade of vivid pink and she was holding Lupin's hand. From the most prominent in the land – if one counted the ministry – to such lowly characters as Ernie Prang, driver of the night bus were there, as the students of Hogwarts filed into their seats behind their formally robed house heads. The ghosts too turned out, though nearly-headless Nick was complaining that he had not seen Dumbledore go through and he always saw Gryffindors off on their way if they died in school.

"That Medieval Moron is going to ruin it all!" muttered Krait. "Where's Myrtle?"

"Here…I'm allowed out of the loo for an occasion like this" said Myrtle. "What is it?"

"Nick's sounding off… head him off at the pass, huh, Tonto?"

Myrtle giggled.

"Oooh I remember the Lone Ranger in second features, we used to sit up in the gods, my dad and me on a Saturday before I started school…" she said "Yes, all right, I'm GOING!" as Krait glowered at her. Myrtle of course knew about Dumbledore's continued life; she had eavesdropped on the plans. The Blood Group more or less considered her one of themselves anyway. She flicked off transparently to cry artistically in Nick's gloomily startled arms.

-/-

Hagrid, sobbing even louder than for Aragog, carried the body, wrapped in star-spangled purple velvet to a table set at the front, honking his nose into a handkerchief after he had laid it down. Krait's heart went out to him, but Hagrid could no more act a lie than a snake could fly. Once the Ministry were off their backs she planned to let him in on the secret and rely on him to withdraw from most company as he was accustomed to do when very upset anyway. He went to the back row where his brother Grawp sat, dressed in a jacket and trousers each the size of a small marquee, his head bowed in grief. Hagrid sat down beside him and Grawp patted his brother affectionately on the head so hard his chair legs sank into the ground. Those in the know had to sob hard into handkerchiefs to hide laughter.

Some Ministry man got up and mouthed off all the platitudes Dumledore had predicted 'nobility of spirit'….'intellectual contribution'….'greatness of heart'…..

Krait muttered under her breath and the Ministry man's face became a little wild as he found himself saying

"And above all. Professor Dumbledore enjoyed a well-crafted jape that was well-meaning and was as likely to punish such miscreants with a cup of tea and sweet biscuits in his office as he was just to turn a blind eye. If he could be here today he would tick off everyone present for their long faces, especially those who wear hypocritical ones, and urge you to drink to his memory and remember the good times. He is beyond the veil but never gone from Hogwarts until his friends and students forget him; which is to say never."

The tufty-haired little man fled without completing his boring and platitudinous speech; but the applause was thunderous.

There were no other speeches; though whether that was because other Ministers were afraid of being usurped in a like fashion, or because there was to be only one eulogy, Krait could not guess. She jumped slightly at the sudden screams from the front as bright, white flames erupted from around the body and the table on which it lay; they rose high, obscuring the body, spiralling up into strange shapes. Then the fire vanished, leaving in its place a white marble tomb encasing the table and its burden. The centaurs fired arrows into the air as a mark of respect, an act which seriously disturbed the nervous though David's voice could be plainly heard explaining that the trajectory was such that only a feeble-minded nitwit would think them likely to come near the crowd. Then the centaurs dispersed; and the merfolk sank beneath the waves.

He was not dead; but he might soon be, alone, unmourned for nobody knowing that he died another time, thought Krait; and tears came to her eyes. This might be all the memorial there was. Absently Krait created petals of Severia and let them drift down out of the sky, causing murmurs of wonder at the sweet smell.

"Don't overdo it" muttered Severus "Why, my dear, you're really moved!"

"It might just be that the timing is off a bit" said Krait "Silly of me…you know."

Severus nodded.

"I know" he said "I liked your eulogy better than the ministry's; though his tendencies to like miscreants can be a little irritating at times!"

"But we love our friends with all their irritating habits" said Krait.

-/-

Rufus Scrimgeour tried to buttonhole Harry; he had tried over Christmas to get him to support the Ministry and it seemed that he was trying again. Krait heard Harry tell him firmly that he would ALWAYS be Dumbledore's man and that his position had not changed for a Ministry prepared to send evil creatures like Dolores Umbridge to torture innocent children just because it had not then suited the Ministry to accept the evidence of several people's eyes.

Scrimgeour retired hurt and Krait gently released a farting jinx on his shoes tied to the muffling spell so that everyone except the wearer could hear it.

Sometimes it relieved the feelings to be childish.

Scrimgeour bounced off self importantly farting gently from his feet.

-/-

The quidditch match to have been played with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang was off of course; the plea that the team was too upset by the death of their headmaster and that many of them were being withdrawn for the term was given. There was too much to do without the match as an added complication; and the possibility that Durmstrang might have supporters of Voldemort ready to cause harm to the team. Beauxbatons sent commiserations.

-/-

Charity Burbage duly handed in her resignation; and disappeared. She had wanted to remain as a support to the muggle-born; but Lupin was firm.

Severus and Krait brought a bound body that looked like her to Malfoy Manor; Voldemort had changed his headquarters to be closer, as he said, to the action, and in surroundings more fitting to his position.

"Have you had decorators in to the Riddle house then to make it finer then?" said Krait "Excellent idea…using muggles to do up the place will allay muggle suspicions until you are ready to take them over. There's an election due in the muggle world, they're expected to choose a new Prime Minister so in the flurry of changeover there in a few months your own takeover should go smoothly. But in the meantime I can quite see that you'd want their fears allayed, and besides, they can't do a worse job on it than the previous occupants. You can add magical decorations gradually. Can I have my room done in purple?"

Voldemort blinked.

"Irrelevancies!" he cried "Utter irrelevancies!"

He sounded so much like Draco's Convolvumort that Krait had to fight to control the laughter.

"Not to me" said Krait "I'd hate to be your princess in a room done out in the sort of bilious pink a lot of young girls seem to like, like that Parkinson brat who tries to hang round Draco's neck. You need a palace; it's a good start, the old Riddle property, you can enlarge it using wizarding space as well as getting in goblin builders. The old ballroom will make an excellent throne room with a dais and throne and everyone else having to stand – or kneel – before you. You need somewhere to receive the rabble and dispense your discipline. The Ministry building is just too too mundane; it lacks majesty, grandeur and the cachet of age. The Riddle house has at least some Tudor parts to it with the unmistakable patina of antiquity and thereby the reminder of your legitimacy as Slytherin's heir. Even if it is only a muggle house, most people won't realise that once Uncle Lucius and others have helped furnish it with true wizarding antiques and you have house elves flitting about to serve you."

"Daughter, you have good ideas but sometimes you talk too much" said Voldemort warningly. Krait bowed.

-/-

The drawing room was full of people; Azkaban had again been emptied of its Deatheaters. One prisoner had not survived, and Krait could not feel sorry that Dolores Umbridge had been killed. She had been half afraid her father might recruit the false Deatheater she had framed; but Voldemort knew only that Umbridge was to have been a Ministry Inquisitor and therefore assumed – quite wrongly – that she was a supporter of Harry Potter.

Voldemort smiled thinly to see what appeared to be a terrified old woman between Severus and Krait.

"Ah the muggle lover" he hissed. "_Crucio!_"

The false Madam Burbage screamed and writhed; though much of it was an act as the blood group smoothly diffused the pain between them to mere discomfort. It was not so profound as had Dumbledore undertaken a full joining; but he had a connection to Severus and Severus understood how to use the blood link better perhaps than any of them.

Draco had gazed upon the captive with horror, recognising her, afraid to look at Severus; but as the blood link drew on him he relaxed slightly, though he continued to act nervously, glancing up from time to time, being the nervy boy new to violence that he might be expected to be as Narcissa's protected pet.

Voldemort gave a savage, mirthless grin with his lipless mouth; jerked his wand and suspended the body of his victim above the table.

"Sit down Severus, my daughter…. We have much to discuss. How did the funeral go?"

"Oh moving… very moving" said Severus "Some Ministry idiot said all that was proper until one of Dumbledore's supporters usurped his speech and did us an unwitting favour with the Ministry by saying what a great support Dumbledore was to mischief makers….so at least can we have it reported. I have already planted seeds that Potter himself may have killed Dumbledore in a fit of megalomaniac madness. You were planning on discrediting him again I suppose?"

Voldemort smiled.

"Oh very nice, Severus!" he purred. "You divine my ideas well… I believe you might well be worthy of my daughter after all! Yes, we have to alienate him from the general community…. It is a shame that Rita Skeeter disappeared, she has proved a useful unwitting tool in the past."

"I'm leaving school after my NEWTS, could I do her job until you find a real replacement?" said Krait "I write fairly well."

Voldemort looked at her with hooded snake like eyes.

"Perhaps you could, my daughter" he said "It will mean a trip to Godric's Hollow; you could go, if Severus will take you, in the Spring Holiday now it is started and question Bathilda Bagshot."

"What the historian? Is she still alive?" asked Krait.

"Not only alive but she knew the Dumbledores…there was some funny business about his younger sister. Find out what you can and write it up to give as bad a light as possible" said Voldemort "We need to discredit Dumbledore as much as we need to discredit Potter. All Potter's main support came from that slippery old man and if that is discredited it helps to destroy public support for the boy."

Krait nodded.

"We must be careful though not to let anyone think that Potter killed Dumbledore because he discovered his dark secret and reacted against a murky past" she said "For that might generate sympathy for him. Severus should come, he can legilimens this Bagshot female while I make nice and ask her flattering questions. How are you going to get Severus made headmaster?"

"Yaxley will answer that" said Voldmort.

Yaxley rose. He was taller than Severus but did not look it as he was not so thin, and his features were blunt and square.

"I'm intending to put the Imperius charm on Pius Thicknesse… he's a tough target but I'm studying everything about him to catch him in a moment of weakness."

"He is however only one man" said Voldemort. "It will be a start, but…however you have more?"

"My Lord , though he is only one man he is as you know Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; he has regular contact with Scrimgeour and with the Heads of all the other Ministry departments. With such a high-ranking official under our control, it will be easy to subjugate others, both by Imperius curse and by other means. Plenty of them have more similar ideals to ours than they dare to say at the moment. And then they can work together to bring down Scrimgeour."

"As long as Thicknesse is not discovered before he has converted the rest" said Voldemort. "We have all summer; the Fidelius charm that protects the boy will not dissolve until his seventeenth birthday on the thirty first of July. The Order of the Phoenix will attempt to move him before then I wager, and then we shall have him."

"We do have advantages there too My Lord" said Yaxley "We have several people planted within the Department of Magical transport. If Potter apparates or uses the Floo network we shall know immediately."

"I doubt he will do either" said Severus "The Order is eschewing any form of transport that is controlled or regulated by the ministry; they mistrust anything to do with the place."

"Well they're right there" said another deatheater with a snigger.

"All the better" said Voldemort "He will have to move in the open. I can attend to the boy in person; there have been too many mistakes where the boy has been concerned. Some of them have been my own; that Potter lives has been due in part to my errors rather than to his triumphs."

The air was one of apprehension; fear in each that he would be picked as a scapegoat for Harry Potter's successes.

Voldemort went on,

"I shall be the one to kill him; now I have knowledge of what is needed to defeat the boy whose main attribute is luck. Luck or bad luck can make or break the best laid plans…."

There was a long thin cry from below their feet.

"Draco" the dark lord spoke quietly "Have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet? Alas for Wormtail's death in Azkaban – he was as worm like as his tail but he knew how to anticipate my orders!"

"I – I'll go to him, My Lord" said Draco, exiting hastily, with a final look of horror at the figure of Charity Burbage.

"We shall meet again before the boy is moved" said Voldemort "Severus, see what you can uncover from the order."

"I'm not sure they'll trust me after Potter has shot off his mouth" said Severus dryly "He DIDn't see me; my hood was up, it is only that he suspects, but he is swearing blind it was me."

"And you did use one of your signature spells" said Voldemort softly "Careless of you."

"No, I did it on purpose" said Severus calmly "Potter found my own potions book that I had not had time to move before the Slug occupied my dungeon; the boy had not intended to carry on Potions until he found out there was a different teacher, and had to borrow what dear Horace took for a school book. He is KNOWN to have had that scruffy potions book; the spell is inscribed in there. I was furious at the intrusion into MY personal possessions at first but it could not have worked out better actually."

Voldemort nodded.

"Good…good. You will exclude him from school over the summer to investigate the er allegation of course?"

"Of course – if I am confirmed Headmaster before the students return."

"Yaxley, see to it" said Voldemort. "It will add to his feelings of isolation and frustration; he is more likely to act recklessly when the time has come and then I am more likely to make a quick triumph." He smiled thinly. "And now" he said "To deal with our guest. Ah Draco!" as the boy returned "Do you recognise her?"

Draco stared at her, and turned his face away.

"I – I don't know" he mumbled.

"Ah, but you would not have taken her classes" purred Voldemort "Her name is Charity Burbage and until recently she taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under its…misguided headmaster" he paused for the small noises of comprehension from his assorted followers. "Yesss…Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about muggles….how they are not so different to us…."

One of the deatheaters spat on the floor and Narcissa made a brief noise of protest.

"Dolokhov, I appreciate your disgust but this IS a two hundred year old Aubusson and is worth more than your mangy hide could amass in all the time it has been here" said Krait, sneering at him. She could get away with the rebuke Narcissa could not. Her aunt shot her a surprised and half grateful look. Krait suspected that the surprise was that she knew what the carpet was more than anything else.

'Charity Burbage' swung on her invisible bonds.

"Severus… please…please…" 'she' whimpered realistically.

"Silence!" said Voldemort; and with another twitch of his wand – actually Lucius' wand, Krait recognised – the whimpering was gagged. "Not content with polluting and corrupting the minds of wizarding children, this creature has written an impassioned defence of mudbloods that she expects to appear in the _Daily Prophet_. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the pure bloods is, she says a desirable circumstance….she would have us all mate with muggles….or maybe with werewolves as one of the scions of the ancient family of the Blacks is about to do….why, Narcissa, did you miss the notice of the engagement of your niece Nymphadora Tonks to the werewolf Lupin?"

There was anger and contempt in Voldemort's tone and Narcissa made a small noise of negation; the air crackled with tension. The figure of the captive rotated to face Severus again who stared impassively into the eyes that met his apparently imploring. Voldemort pointed Lucius' wand.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The flash of green light illuminated every corner of the room; and the magically bound figure fell with a crash onto the table below. Several deatheaters leaped back in their chairs as the table creaked a protest.

Severus and Krait shared a moment's shock with Draco and – elsewhere – the others as the spell dissolved between them. It was not the full force; Krait had been expecting the moment and had been surreptitiously hardening the air between Dumbledore and her father, to act – as she later explained – like a diffusion grid. Using Dumbledore as a guinea pig for how well the spell might be dispersed was all very well, but she saw no reason to sacrifice him if it failed. As it was she was certain they could have taken the full blast; but better to be safe than sorry.

"Dinner, Nagini" whispered the Dark Lord softly; and the big snake swayed and slithered from his shoulders.

"I think that is unwise, My Lord" said Severus.

"Indeed? Why is that?" said Voldemort, displeased.

"I placed a slow acting poison in her body to keep her compliant – promising the antidote later" lied Severus smoothly "As you planned to kill her anyway I did not think it mattered; my apologies to Nagini. I was thoughtless of her needs."

"Indeed" said Voldemort "But it is typical of you never to leave anything to chance, Severus… I forgive you, I did not specify my plans for the mudblood lover. Very well; I will leave it to you to dispose of the body. Make sure it is never found."

Severus bowed.

"I shall do my utmost to rectify my small error of judgement" he said. "Come Krait; we must remove this…thing."

It was good to be given the responsibility of dealing with the body as something of a mild punishment; now nobody need suspect that the body lived and gave them time to get it away before Dumbledore transformed back to his natural state.

A/N'_**up in the gods' is an old Brit slang term for the cheap seats at the cinema up at the top.**_


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: Post Obsequies Requiescat**

Dumbledore rubbed his arms and legs vigorously as the potion wore off – not a moment too soon – in the second chamber prepared in the Chamber of Secrets.

"Ouch, am I bruised!" he laughed.

"Better bruised than dead" said Krait severely. "I say, Severus, I see what you mean about side effects."

Dumbledore was his own self save for the fact that he was a bright blue all over.

"It'll wear off in a day or two" shrugged Severus "And he wasn't planning on going anywhere anyway."

Dumbledore smiled.

"Well, that was instructive enough to be well worth being blue, even if it never wore off" he said. "Yaxley has his pride still I see; the Imperius curse always was his speciality. Now I know what to do."

"What you have to do is stay put and out of sight" said Krait, frowning. "No risks, remember?"

"Then you will have to do it for me, Severus" said Dumbledore "Place in Pius Thicknesse a release code from the Imperius curse so he knows what he's been doing when someone shouts the code word at him…Yaxley is NOT a good enough legilimens to find something you implant."

"Pius Thicknesse is too dim to understand" said Severus "He'll do what the law says because the law says it; even if he's changed it under the Imperius curse. It'd take a decade to penetrate his dutiful and mile-thick skull that he has been used. Oh all right, I'll do it; but don't blame me if you have to talk at him for a straight year afterwards to explain it all."

"Oh I shan't blame you in the least, Severus" laughed Dumbledore. "You know, the colour is growing on me – do you think I should get a wardrobe to tone with it or contrast?"

Severus gave Dumbledore a helpless look.

"You're incorrigible, Albus!" he said.

-/-

Bathilda Bagshot was a very old woman, rambling on about her memories; and Krait listened as patiently as she could, whilst wanting to cry out from time to time how wrong the old woman was!

She related how standoffish Kendra Dumbledore was; and how strange was the way she treated her daughter, keeping her inside most of the time, but taking her out in the garden for exercise at night, keeping a tight hold on the girl. Kendra had even slammed the door in Bathilda's face when the Dumbledores first arrived, bringing cakes which had made her resentful to start with; thereafter she only saw the two boys and it was quite two years before she caught sight of Ariana, and then only because the older witch had been picking herbs by moonlight. Bathilda was of the opinion that Ariana was a squib, since nobody had ever seen her perform magic, and that Kendra had made the decision to move to Godric's Hollow to hide the shame and let people forget she even had a daughter. She pointed out that the girl would have been about seven when she vanished, the age at which normal children started to exhibit some powers; and whatever the boys said about Ariana being too delicate and frail to go to school, she, Bathilda, did not think the girl looked frail at all.

It was Bathilda too who had introduced Dumbledore to Grindelwald. She explained what a charming boy he had seemed, visiting her, his great aunt, there in Godric's Hollow, and what a good idea it seemed to be to introduce him to the young Dumbledore, all alone with his supposedly frail sister. They got on, as Bathilda described it, like a cauldron on fire, even exchanging ideas in dead of night by way of owls, for she often heard the tap of a beak on her nephew's window. It had seemed odd at the time that such a nice boy should have been expelled from Durmstrang, but there, with what he became… but it turned out that the ideas he and young Albus were discussing were most unsavoury. Bathilda Bagshot hobbled to a bureau and got out a letter she had kept, that Albus had sent to his friend Gellert.

It expressed agreement with the German boy's ideas abut ruling muggles for their own good; and Albus' insistence that when the pair of them seized power they should only use as much force as necessary – saying that exceeding this had been Gellert's mistake at Durmstrang, though had he not, they should not have met!

It was an outpouring of youthful admiration, reiterating 'the greater good' with a pomposity that showed the eighteen year old Albus Dumbledore to have as much sense, Krait thought, as a boy several years his junior. And it showed some insights into how even a clever caring man might be caught by a charismatic and unscrupulous type.

Bathilda burbled on about how it was Ariana's death that caused problems between the friends, upsetting her poor nephew who hurried back, begging her to prepare a portkey for him. She spoke of how upset Albus was; how grief affected the two brothers to the extent that Aberforth broke Albus' nose at the funeral. She shook her head over what Kendra would have thought of her boys fighting like that. She thought it a terrible shame dear Gellert could not have come to the funeral to support his dear friend.

It was harmless enough to the ears of one who had heard the story from the lips of Dumbledore himself; but Krait could see how it could be presented as quite damning.

She allowed herself to be given a cup of tea and chatted cheerfully for a while to the lonely old witch and escaped to plan how to write up this tale as a calumny which might yet be seen through as such once her father was dead and Dumbledore reinstated.

The best way would be to make it seem that poor old Bathilda Bagshot was half senile already, and eaten up with resentment over Kendra Dumbledore's initial rejection of her friendly – or nosy – overtures. By writing perhaps 'young Dumbledore was doubtless with his mother when she finally passed the veil; who can say what passed between them, what secrets or vows he made' implying an unbreakable vow to an implacable mother. The whole story might come out when Albus died for real; but he must be able to be shown to have good motives towards his sister. His alliance with Grindelwald was another matter. All that could be hoped was that if the letter were printed in its entirety, most would see it for what it was, the infatuated outpourings of a youth still young enough to be in love with his own self importance. That he backed muggle rights later was surely enough indication to those with sense that he was heartily ashamed of his youthful leanings. Well she would pour out spite and venom; and the more spite and venom she could put into the article, the less sensible people were likely to believe it.

It was just a pity that magical folk, like muggles, were very rarely sensible about the crap they read in such rags as the _News of the World_ or _Daily Prophet_!

-/-

With Pius Thicknesse under the Imperius Curse and Severus installed as Hogwarts' new headmaster, the wizarding world suddenly became much darker.

The Office for Muggleborn registration was born; and it was headed by Yaxley. He was aided by a poisonous little wizard called Runcorn who had needed no Imperius Curse to happily join in the degradation of muggleborn.

Every muggleborn witch or wizard was to register with the office and investigations were to be undertaken over how they came to steal their magical powers. The official notice was that the Ministry wanted better to understand how muggles might have obtained magical powers; the notice in the Prophet said that the Department of Mysteries had revealed that magic passed from person to person through reproduction; and so where no proven wizarding ancestry existed, it was imperative to find out if the so-called muggle-born obtained their powers by theft or force.

"Meh" said Krait "Ain't they never heard of hidden genes?"

"What are the state of ones nether garments to do with it?" asked Severus "It is jeans isn't it you call them?"

"G-E-N-E-S" said Krait patiently "The means by which heritance is passed….you can have, say a black slave in the days of slavery who birthed a child of a white master and the great grandchildren look totally white, but if two people then get together of similar heritance they can have a dark skinned baby. And I guess magic works the same way, and two people who carry it from so far back there's no proof that can be found have enough magic between them to produce a magically active baby. I thought that was obvious."

"Actually no" said Severus "I think muggles have done more research into heritence then we have; having special words for it is somewhat indicative."

"Well with the human genome pretty much mapped – and I guess wizarding powers will constitute some of the genes they can't find a use for – we know pretty much how various features are passed on" said Krait. "This is silliness; but we have to let it run its course I suppose and let people be terrorised until Albus in his less than infinite wisdom is prepared to act."

"People tend to believe those in authority" said Severus "We need to show them that it can be bad before they will fully back us. People's memories are short, their loyalties fickle. Only a good scare will show them the truth."

"Does he think people will let this happen?"

"My dear, it IS happening; they are rounding up the muggle born already, those that have not already fled" said Severus "The most vulnerable are being got away by our friends."

"I hate this… I wish we could move on him."

"Soon….very soon" he reassured her.

Naturally this rounding up would have included Hermione and many others at Hogwarts; and Neville came up with the idea of using the Room of Requirements to live in, as it was formed of wizarding space and would provide as much room as was required. It even opened a passage to the Hogs' Head in Hogsmead, where Aberforth Dumbledore provided food, and also sent other refugees to join the secret group in Hogwarts.

Voldemort was delighted with the way things were going.

"I don't see why most people don't see the logical inconsistency though" said Krait to Severus "We're making out Dumbledore to be a secret muggle hater; and then attacking muggles and muggleborn. Isn't there a flaw in the logic of castigating him for something the deatheaters are doing themselves?"

"Fishface doesn't CARE if there's a logical inconsistency" said Severus "He wants people to feel betrayed by Dumbledore, to think him a liar; and to be too scared of the ministry in case they have to prove their own blood to be able to think straight."

Krait snorted.

If she had been a megalomaniac who wanted to rule the world she felt sure she could have done it with more subtlety and finesse; and said so.

"But you, my dear" said Severus softly "Are not labouring under the handicap of having split your soul into several parts; you are quite sane and emotionally stable. He is neither. And, think on, though he has a certain subtlety of method – using people's weaknesses and vanities against them – he is NOT subtle enough to understand any but the crudest of emotions. He would never have understood your rather lukewarm pity for poor Peter; nor ever believed you might act to aid him. He could not understand my love for Lily was – and is – enduring. I love you as well; perhaps even more than I loved Lily for what we have done together. I also love Sirri; though I cannot love her as well as perhaps she deserves to be loved. Maybe she needs to be loved at least somewhat to teach her to find a true, long lasting love. And that he could not understand; that we can love her with compassion that does not include pity enough to give a part of ourselves. I did not put Lily out of my mind as he expected me to do. Love – true love – does not work like that."

"And as well the nasty little swipe doesn't understand; or it'd be curtains for us. Merlin's bedsocks, I'm not going to enjoy working with the Carrows" said Krait. "They are just so crude."

Severus shrugged.

"He wished them onto me" he said. "Alecto teaching Muggle studies – which is to say, how muggles are little better than animals – and Amycus teaching curses under the guise of Defence against the Dark Arts."

"Hmmm" said Krait "And what's to stop us overpowering them and inserting two of our own into their positions? HE will learn what WE want him to of what's going on at Hogwarts; Crabbe and Goyle can be confunded easily enough, I've done it before!"

Severus nodded.

"I agree" he said. "And I have an even better idea; let's make Harry into Amycus so he's here to hand AND protected by the rest of us all in one go!"

Krait chuckled.

"I like" she said. "Hermione to take over Alecto I think? She'll do a good job of teaching muggle studies actually."

Severus nodded.

"And tied to us by blood, both of them" he said. "Yes, I think that will do very nicely. It will not be for long; we only need a significant demonstration. Oh, Lucius told me about the prisoner Fishface had been torturing – it's poor old Ollivander. He's got pretty much all out of him that he wants, Lucius has been surreptitiously healing him up and making sure he's all right. Your father wants him alive for his knowledge; he's not about to murder him, so it's safest to leave him where he is. Lucius won't let him come to any harm."

"Poor old boy…are we going to hold the final fight at the school or at Malfoy Manor?"

"Well in my opinion we have more resources at the school…not just the staff, many fine wizards, but the magical defences built into the castle itself. The armour animates for any of the staff you know, if the place is in danger."

Krait nodded.

"David and his commandos will probably be more useful than the rusting memory of ancient knights, but it all adds to the general level of merriment" she said. "Why don't we have a Governors' meeting and have Lucius here with his wives and family – we can slip the little ones in with our youngsters – and have the Wizarding Wireless present and let Draco strut his stuff live? THAT ought to make him hit the ground running!"

"We shall have to time the wearing off of the Polyjuice Potion precisely for Harry to do his thing too."

"Will it wear off just like that if the principal is dead?" asked Krait.

"I - do you know, I really don't know!" said Severus.

"Well, I shall arrange for them to die anyway" said Krait "Or at least be rendered inoperative – I can go basilisk at them – and you can give Harry an antidote to take at an appropriate moment."

Severus nodded.

"And we will pass out the vials of Felix to all our troops" he said. "So much to plan…."

"But you and I are more efficient plotters than my limited father" said Krait.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: Polyjuice Potion**

Harry had not been particularly happy stuck in Little Whingeing; though at least his cousin's support was a comfort and stopped him climbing the walls in frustration. They ran together just the two of them before Dudley set off for his prestigious private day school with its pseudo-historical and ridiculous uniform. Uncle Vernon kept asking why Harry was at home for these holidays, when he was going back and whether he had actually been expelled from THAT PLACE.

"Do you really think I can concentrate on work so soon after Professor Dumbledore's funeral?" Harry took refuge in that excuse, but Vernon still grumbled until a visit by Kingsley Shacklebolt made him keep his views to himself. Kingsley actually impressed Vernon; he was fairly normal to look at, having the task of taking care of the muggle Prime Minister, as he explained to the Dursleys. Once they had seen him on TV, Harry's aunt and uncle were quite amenable to Kinglsley's suggestions!

Krait picked the early morning to visit with the plan.

"What's going on?" demanded Harry "Kingsley won't tell me anything!"

"Oh the Order!" Krait rolled her eyes. "Listen, are you up to teach Defence against the Dark arts semi officially?"

"I thought a deatheater had been appointed" said Harry.

"Yep. Never heard of Polyjuice Potion?" grinned Krait.

Harry stared then gave a short bark of laughter.

"Oh yes! What is that phrase – hoist with their own petard!"

"I keep telling you, Shakespeare's a hack… but in this case true as we shall be using explosives" said Krait. "If you're there we can keep an eye on you too, make sure you're not getting dreams without telling us and so-on."

"You'd know"

"Yes; but it's nice to share, isn't it? Besides, if any of us DO die, we would actually like to spend time together as comrades."

Harry nodded.

"We'd better pack I guess" said Dudley.

They turned and looked at him.

"We?" said Krait.

Dudley's big pink face flushed dull red.

"I can fight too" he said "I can't do the – you know, the magic; but I can fire a gun. I've been learning with you lot. I'm a good shot."

"He is too" said Harry.

Krait bit her lip.

"We're supposed to be protecting muggles" she said.

"Harry saved me from them dementor things. If I can shoot things that'll stay dead I can help him, can't I" demanded Dudley.

Krait looked at him with approval.

"You can at that" she said. "Although I OUGHT to ask your parents' permission….you are a minor."

"I shan't tell them" said Dudley.

"You can't leave without telling them something" said Krait "It's unfair."

"Why don't we leave a note to say we've gone together to enlist in the army because we're both sick of school?" suggested Harry "In a way it's true; we're enlisting in the Hogwarts Army, Dumbledore's Army."

Dudley brightened.

"Yeah!" he agreed.

Krait nodded.

Vernon would shout and turn purple and Petunia would cry; but she could not turn down so heartfelt a desire to help.

"Then your help is readily accepted, Dudley" she said "And honoured more because you're as scared as the rest of us."

"You're scared?"

"Only the insane would not be" said Krait dryly. "Those most in danger will be Harry, Draco, Severus and me; I want you to work with young Fraser and lead the youngsters that will be shooting. You're big enough to hide being scared and project calm efficiency at them; and as Harry's cousin and a big boy they'll repose a lot of trust in you. Keeping them calm – and if need be getting them away – will be your responsibility."

Dudley seemed to grow.

"Where'll I take them to get them away?"

"Through the loo network….Fraser and the Malfoy twins will take some, it'll piss off your parents, but you can bring some out here. They'll be fugitives if you have to run; but someone will find them and help. I HOPE it won't come to that."

Dudley nodded seriously.

"If it does, Mum and Dad will just have to put up with it; I can make them" he said seriously. Krait thought that he could probably bring Petunia around his little finger; and hoped his faith in his ability to handle his father was not too misplaced. It should not need to happen anyway.

"All right; pack this evening and come through at midnight" she said "I'll be waiting for you."

-/-

Alecto and Amycus Carrow were as charmless a pair of siblings as one might ever meet. As Krait told Severus, they looked like gorillas, spoke like gorillas and even smelled like gorillas but without the charm of being furry.

McGonagall was tight lipped and disapproving; but then, the Carrows would have expected her to be. Until such time as they could be immobilised and their places taken the Kindred had to be careful; and hide all the children. They went into the Room of Requirements with the muggle born and some muggle parents.

Amycus issued the order that all discipline would henceforth be carried out by him and his sister; and that the DADA seniors should start practising the Cruciatus Curse to use on those who had earned detention.

"It wasn't even that bad at Durmstrang" Erich Snape confided to his fellows "The discipline was harsh, but not usually the Cruciatus Curse! And of course it was Dark Arts we learned, not defence against it, but there are Dark Arts and there are beyond Dark like these ones."

He was using the _Muffliatus_ spell to have this conversation; even Hermione had conceded that it was the only way for those who were in the open to have any kind of speech safely. Erich, as it happened, was fairly safe; the Carrows were somewhat afraid of Severus with his sarcastic clever tongue, and the fact that he was in the Dark Lord's favour and even – so it seemed – boffing Lord Voldemort's daughter, as they crudely described it to each other. They were equally nervous of Krait, because word of what she had done to Bellatrix Lestrange – and lived to stay in her father's favour despite that – had got about. Krait had only to let her eyes go red and either one of the Carrows would cave in to her.

-/-

Once Harry arrived it would be a signal to move in on the siblings. Hermione had been brewing polyjuice potion in the Room of Requirements; she had also taken charge of the supply of Felix Felicis and the brew of Unicorn Blood and dittany that Krait and Severus had also prepared from Krait's transfigured blood. It had worked so well on Neville's parents that it seemed like a good idea to have a supply. The Longbottoms, alerted by Aberforth, had moved out of their quiet temporary retirement in the muggle village of Camburnath to the Room of Requirements together with Tonks and Lupin. Neville was both delighted to be working alongside his parents and afraid of letting them down. He preached open defiance towards the Carrows; and earned himself cuts from Alecto's knife for his outspoken words. Severus reminded them not to hurt the few pure bloods there were too much if they pleased; and that was obviously an instruction that tallied with Voldemort's, for they were circumspect about using magic to hurt Neville. They did have time to ask other deatheaters to attack Neveille's gran and make her a hostage; but they had underestimated the calibre of old Madam Augusta Longbottom.

Dawlish ended up in St Mungo's; and several other deatheaters took a while to recover from the indomitable old lady's jinxes. Krait grinned in delight at the spirit of her namesake; and sent Sirri to find the old lady – who had gone on the run – and recruit her firmly. After all, as Sirri was blooded to Neville she could feel his blood and so any relative of his, even as any enslaved elf blood bonded to a family could find any member.

And the fear still grew in the wizarding community.

The _Daily Prophet_ only reported what the controlled Ministry wanted them to report; which was more and more to the detriment of Harry and his friends and less and less truth. Xenophilus Lovegood carried on writing as he had always done in the _Quibbler_; but as Krait said to Voldemort when reporting, since half of what he said was palpable crap and the rest at best dubious, any attempt to shut him up would have nothing but the opposite effect since nobody in their right mind used his rag for anything more than a cheap laugh before putting it in the loo for supplemental paper. Only the Wizarding Wireless remained independent, disappearing underground and broadcasting regular seditious messages.

Harry and Dudley arrived at midnight after school – with its somewhat reduced number of pupils – had been going for almost a week. Krait met them in Myrtle's loo.

"Good" she said "Hermione's on her way down; all we need now is our final ingredient. Stand by to stupefy before either of the little gits can get to their dark mark to summon him; if you turn up they have orders to touch it."

Harry nodded.

"We've been practising wandless wordless magic for a year now" he said "I think I'm fast enough."

"Better be sure you are, laddie; or we lose all our advantage of picking time" said Krait.

Harry nodded.

"I have the cloak; if I wear it I can use the spell from under it. No dishonour in that with those two."

Krait grinned.

"Good, common sense! Dudley, you stay here and chat up Myrtle; I'll send someone to find you a bed presently. We have business to attend to and it may get unpleasant."

Dudley nodded.

"YOUR line of work" he said trying to sound confident.

"Yeah" said Krait.

-/-

Amycus was prowling the corridors looking for miscreants and those responsible for the graffiti along the lines of 'Harry Potter will defeat evil' and "Screw Voldemort". Krait had surveyed this one critically and twitched her wand to add 'not even with combat pay' under it. Amycus was busy trying to remove the enchanted words.

"Ah, Amycus" said Krait.

The spell from Harry was silent and perfectly cast; the deatheater went down without a word. Krait absently cast bindings around his whole body.

"Chuck the cloak on him" she said "And hack off a chunk of hair. You can take it to the Room of Requirements for your dose; I'll deal with him. I'll see to Alecto."

Alecto caused Krait no trouble; and she summoned Beloc and sent him to take the evil witch's hair to Hermione while she levitated both bound bodies and took them to the dungeons to chain up. She absently cast _Alohamora_ on the locks of the shackles of young Jasmine Spikenard who was incarcerated there.

"Thanks Krait" said Jasmine, who was the granddaughter of Madam Spikenard.

"What were you here for?" asked Krait mildly

"I had a, er, trance and predicted doom, doom, and death for the Carrows" said Jasmine "I thought if I frothed at the mouth, as my gran's an accredited diviner I might get away with it, but I fear someone did a medical apparation on their sense of humour."

"Stay out of this" said Krait "Keep your mouth shut and your nose clean; and that goes for all you first years."

"Oh but now you've captured them, isn't the MSHG going to start killing Deatheaters?" said Jasmine cheerfully "The rest of us thought we would be."

"You little ones are supposed to be staying out of trouble."

"Huh, if HARRY had stayed out of trouble the basilisk would have et more people" said Jasmine.

"Oh, she's free!" a voice at the door said.

It was, as Krait described them later, the usual suspects; Colin Weasley, Jasper Crouch-Jones, Ed Dinalt, Hayley Betts, Emerald Lenoir, Pris Lockhard, Cleonie Puckeridge and a boy called Eustace who had not hitherto joined the MSHG being so interested in the world of academe Krait had been surprised he was a Gryffindor. Hayley addressed him as 'Scrubb' but Krait did not think that was his actual surname but more a CS Lewis reference.

"Go back to bed" she said "And take Jasmine along with you, you Gryffs."

"YES Krait!" they chorused happily.

"Krait, we were going to use Alohamora, would it have worked?" asked Hayley "It was Scrubb's idea."

"It was a good one; I used it myself" said Krait. "Delashio undoes some bonds – and can work on strangling fingers too – and if you're very careful Diffindo cuts things. It cuts people too, so make sure and aim carefully" she added.

The first years nodded and turned to go.

"Oh and I'll have six inches from each of you as to the detriments of young bodies being up half the night; and if you get caught you can tell the Professor involved you've already been given detention" said Krait.

"Prefects can't…" started young Eustace

"Shut it, Benton you fool" said Pris "She means if we do a light punishment for her we shan't get whatever McGonagall is likely to throw at us if SHE catches us.

"Oh, right. Sorry" said Eustace Benton.

"Scrubbishness of Scrubbishness" muttered Hayley.

"And he almost deserved it" said Krait, delighting the younger girl that someone recognised the reference!

-/-

Harry and Hermione were greeted with an ovation by the MSHG next morning; and drilling and casting practice, postponed while the Carrows were prowling about, was resumed. Dudley was assigned a group of fourth years as his troupe to his pride; among them now Martin Umbridge, keen now to fight bullies. He made himself Dudley's lieutenant, for Dudley had no preconceived wariness against him, and the boy was undoubtedly the most talented of his age.

"I'll watch your back with defensive spells, Big D because I'm not much of a shot" admitted Martin "And make sure our troupe is covered."

Dudley nodded.

"Yeah, that'll work" he said.

_A/N CS Lewis reference; in the Narnia Chronicles Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole were pupils together at a school before participating in 'The Silver Chair' and 'the Final Battle'._


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N There are governors at Hogwarts proving it to be what the Brits call a Public School which is still a fee paying entity. A Private School is one which is set up by and benefits an individual; a Public School is funded initially by the public subscription of the board of governors and the fees are there to cover the running of the school, salaries etc. Like a private school it is not subject – in the muggle world – to government interference. No requirement for any particular qualification of staff, nor national curriculum. It is answerable to the governors. Just a note in case anyone was confused about the differences between a private school, a public school and state education. Many public schools require an examination to be passed, often to a stringent level, for entry to be permitted. There are also frequently scholarship and bursary places available to educate the poor but clever.**_

**Chapter 35: Lord Convolvumort to the fore**

The day dawned of the Governors' visit; the day carefully arithmantically calculated by Krait and Hermione to be the most auspicious for them and the least auspicious for their adversary. Half the governors were known deatheaters now, and that, as Krait said, meant that they were out of the fight almost straight away because they wouldn't be expecting to be jumped and stupefied the moment they came in the door.

"Are we actually going to just overpower them?" asked David "I mean, they've all wriggled out of Azkaban so often it makes a mockery of having a wizarding prison.

"I'm going to turn them into statues and stick 'em in amongst the ruddy acromantulas" said Krait "Even if anyone feels like braving spiders to free them, they'll start to weather nicely under the dripping trees. Once their faces weather off, they can't have a potion chucked near their lips….meantime if we need them for questioning like to rescue someone WE can turn them back…what's still essentially alive can always be made dead later. The other way round is a little difficult. Now sod off and pass out Felix to anyone who's fighting and make sure the others are warned to be ready to go where they're told. They can go down into the dungeons out of the way while we're fighting and if need be use the secret passage out."

"Who's in charge of the civilians?" asked David.

"Flitwick and Sprout" said Krait. "And when you've passed out Felix you may THEN tell Hagrid that Dumbledore is alive and tell him to get that crossbow of his ready."

David grinned; this was action and he was ready for it.

-/-

Hagrid was not at first inclined to believe David; the boy had to tell him that was the message he was given to pass on.

"And he's counting on you" said David.

"Why wasn't I told before?" Hagrid was affronted.

David shrugged.

"Those of us who weren't deemed good liars were only to be told at the last minute" he said "I think it goes partly on house….for some reason they have too good an opinion of us Gryffs in terms of integrity."

"Yeah, Gryffindors are honest" said Hagrid.

David heaved a private sigh of relief that Hagrid had assumed that he, David, had also only just been told.

-/-

Lucius Malfoy arrived with his family – the younger ones being carted off by Jade and Lydia – and he and his wives were handed their dose of Felix.

"There's enough to last everyone about three hours" said David "I don't know if it'll work on muggles, Charlotte but it can't hurt. The cue to drink it is when the Wizarding Wireless announces a real treat."

Lucius nodded.

"Thank you Mr Fraser" he said "We need all the bottled luck we can get."

"In my experience, mostly you make your own luck" said David "You love Draco….that's bought you friends and friends equates all the luck in the universe. This is just a boost."

Dudley had been given a dose too; again, as a muggle, no one was quite sure how it would work, but if he believed it would, that was half the battle, Krait reckoned.

The school assembled.

Lucius made a speech that was being broadcast that was rather platitudinous along the lines of young wizards and witches working hard to achieve any goal they set for themselves.

The announcer of the wireless, well cued, then stood up.

"And now we have a great treat in store for everyone; a short recorded broadcast" he said, sitting down again.

Several hundred lips were caressed by golden liquid luck.

"And so…it begins" said Krait softly.

**-/-**

The high thin voice of Lord Convolvumort came out of the wireless.

"It is I again, my loyal minions and my disloyal slaves, Lord Convolvumort lord of UTTER DARKNESS [and small white flowers] bringing you news of my successes. I am INVINIC – er, INVINIS – er, COMPLETELY UNBEATABLE! I and my dirteaters have once again triumphed over the HAIRY PIMPLE and his friends even the egregee-eegee-egiosly clever muddle-blood Hermetica Grudgeblood; and I shall enslave all the muddleblooded in the WHOLE WORLD because MY blood is only a little bit muddled from having a muddled father you know, but I have replaced most of it with blood I stole from the HAIRY PIMPLE who has better blood than me you see! I am the greatest wizard on earth and I can make people in the ministry do whatever I like with spells because I can jerk their strings. That's the way to do it, HAR HAR HAR!" there was an insane cackle of laughter.

The school rocked with mixed mirth and terror; many juniors not in the MSHG glancing at the supposed Carrows.

The antidote had taken effect while everyone was listening; and Harry and Hermione sat on the dais. Harry waved and the school roared approval.

"And now" said the presenter, "We have Lord Convolvumort in person."

Draco stood up.

"My thanks for everyone's continued appreciation of my small talents" said Draco "Yes, it is I, Draco Malfoy, who has been Lord Convolvumort because I'm a better occlumens than Fishface – little Tommy Riddle, self styled Lord Vodemort – is a legilimens. Hey, Tom – screw you and the dark magic you flew in on, you smarmy creeping little worm, you travesty of life, you er putrescent pile of cacaceous carcinoma. Have I got your attention yet, you insignificant and inadequate worm?"

There was shocked silence; which was broken by several loud, if distant, 'CRAC!'s.

The sibilant voice flooded the castle by spell.

_**ssss**__Hear Me! Obey ME!__**ssss**_ the control words hissed. Narcissa stiffened.

"Knew I forgot something" murmured Draco.

"Narcissa, you have spawned this traitor…kill him now" said the voice.

Narcissa fought the compulsion, but her wand arm was coming up. Lucius raised his wand to her; but Charlotte was quicker.

She brought a tin tray down on Narcissa's head, hard.

"Sorry Cissy" she said.

Narcissa sank to the ground, stunned.

Quickly Draco ran to her, muttering '_legilimens_' to himself to find and remove the compulsion; and Charlotte took her hand.

"Take care of her, Charlotte; dad and I have a battle on our hands" said Draco "MY GROUP! TO ME!"

The MSHG divided into their groups and marched off in perfect silence and discipline with their various squad leaders.

"Underage wizards and witches are forbidden to fight!" cried McGonagall.

"Sorry ma'am; that's an order we have to disobey" said David "You can punish us later, but whatever you devise could never be as bad as the consequence of losing for the want of a few troops. We are pledged not to get into hand to hand combat but to fire from the windows only."

"You are going to defy me, as a group?"

"I am going to obey my leader, Harry Potter" said David "He IS the Quidsats Haddarach – er, the Chosen One – and he takes precedence over all others. Excuse me, Minerva; I have a job to do and you can't do it."

McGonagall had no choice but to let him go; for the defiance was from so many she could not enforce her order. She sighed and whisked off to join the adult wizards who were ready to fight. Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout lead the rest to the dungeons; and one small boy waited until they had left and quaffed a potion, rapidly swelling into the figure of Dumbledore. He chortled happily to himself and went towards the battlements to watch the proceedings.

-/-

There were at least a hundred of them.

Half were werewolves under an ugly, scarred fellow who looked eager for battle.

"Greyback" said Lupin quietly "The one who infected me when I was a child…he likes biting children does Fenrir Greyback."

"Not for long" said David. "My, but they're in close range for an assault rifle. Stand by squads, on my mark….

-/-

The voice of Voldemort reverberated through the air.

"Now that Draco has been punished, I expect my followers to bring me Harry Potter…for I don't doubt he's in there somewhere" he said. "Bring me Potter and I shall spare the rest of you, except the wireless crew."

Draco's voice rang out.

"The Malfoys have changed sides, old bean…does the phrase fuck off and die have any meaning for you?"

The killing curse sizzled harmlessly on a battery of _speculum_ spells that bounced and dissipated it into countless green sparkles each too weak to do anything.

"Save your strength" Draco admonished his squad "Don't worry about me; I have protection and I'm quite capable of casting the ruddy spell myself."

"Where is my daughter?" demanded Voldemort "Bring me Potter AND that Malfoy boy and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!"

"What part of 'the Malfoys changed sides' did you fail to understand you fool?" said Krait's bored voice. "Ya think I want anything to do with a motheaten excuse for a semi-living dummy that's one part snake and four parts malice? Ya wish!"

Voldemort was screaming in rage by now and ordering his troops to attack.

"Wait…wait…FIRE!" shouted David.

The front rank of deatheaters and werewolves dropped in their tracks as effectively as if they had crossed a line cursed with Avada Kevadra. Indeed, for a moment those behind them assumed that a magical line must be in force; for they stopped short, waiting for orders.

They made lovely static targets.

"AND HOLD YOUR FIRE!" cried David; for he had the blood command.

Harry strolled out.

"I say, old boy, I believe you wanted to see me" he said with all the studied nonchalance of Draco Malfoy.

"NICE tone my brother!" Draco's voice sounded in Harry's ear alone.

Voldemort raised his wand.

"Go on then" said Harry "I will always win because I do not fear death. It is not the foe. Fear is the foe."

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" screamed the angry wizard. The Blood Group felt the force of the strike; and were suddenly excluded by Harry. He dropped in his tracks.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: Fresh out of Horcruces**

After Voldemort dropped the killing curse on Harry and he dropped like a stone there was a shocked silence; and then a commotion.

Aurors and professors and older students poured out.

"Idiots" said David.

"No" said Dudley "They get to keep him guessing I think; you and me and our best shots can still pick off individuals, right?"

"Right" said David. "Oh look, here comes the ministry representative."

"And Pukey Percy" said Colin Weasley.

Percy Weasley was indeed half falling off his broom as he arrived beside Pius Thicknesse; then he turned and fired a jinx into the Minister's chest.

"AND BY THE WAY I RESIGN!" he cried "RON! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"RIGHT HERE!" Ron yelled. Fred and George were with him, having turned up through the room of requirements; and Ginny was busy avoiding her parents who had also arrived.

Fully two thirds of Voldemort's troops lay dead from the swingeing onslaught of the silver magical bullets; more were dying as Dudley Dursley and David Fraser set faced and concentrating fired again and again, their young bodyguard casting protego spells almost constantly as the deatheaters started to identify the source of the death from above.

Severus and Krait led the counter attack; and Krait shrugged negligently into the form of a Basilisk again, wrapping her unborn child in an egg as she had done with Lilith, her form making her immune to magic and her glance literally petrifying. She ignored her father. It was Nagini she was after, chasing the snake to sink poisoned fangs into the last horcrux.

He howled with frustration as his killing curse bounced off her; and turned his attentions to Severus and Lucius who dodged and parried.

"Voldemort" said a voice beside him.

He turned quickly.

"WHAT?"

It was Harry.

"Nagini dies" said Harry. "Last Horcrux old boy. Your only way forward is in remorse, you know. That can rebuild a shattered soul."

Voldemort was screaming the killing curse again; and the blood group cried out in brief, intolerable pain as it shared amongst them.

And then Harry plunged Gryffindor's sword into Voldemort's recreated heart.

There was a thin scream of terror, of pleading; then he fell to the ground, lifeless.

There was a brief, horrified hush.

Then the few remaining deatheaters made a rush to get away, to get out of the anti-apparating zone.

David Fraser and Dudley Dursley held their post; and none succeeded. The accurate range of a Kalashnikov is three hundred yards; but it will kill at twice that if enough bullets go towards the target. The evil wizards did not know even as they died how this strange magic worked.

That did not discommode David in the least.

And at last there was silence.

The house elves were busy finishing off the wounded.

"Weel!" said McGonagall "I should think that we need to help OUR wounded to the sanatorium and then I should say it was lunch time, what do you think, Headmaster?"

"I should say that's a very good idea" said Dumbledore.

The uproar was louder than the battle.

"Very nicely done, Harry" said Dumbledore "The only way to mend a shattered soul is by remorse – bless my soul, I don't recall telling you!"

"Your blood told Severus; and his told mine" said Harry. "It's obvious really if you think about it; and I had to offer it to him. Too many of my friends have dabbled with the Dark Arts not to be prepared to give him the chance. Somehow though, I knew he wouldn't take it. Excuse me."

Ginny was running at him, her long hair flying in the wind, her eyes blazing; and then her arms were around his neck kissing him as though nothing else in the world mattered.

Of course at that moment, to her, nothing else did matter.

Grace was doing the same to Draco.

Krait looked at Severus.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?" she suggested.

Severus swept her into his arms and kissed her hard, fiercely, almost cruelly. Krait subsided happily into his embrace.

It was some time later that she noticed absently the jagged, lightning like cut on his forehead; and felt her own.

"We all have it now" said Severus "All the bloodgroup. All except Albus who never was joined to Harry….the rest of us bear the mark of surviving the killing curse and THAT as much as anything else will help us force through what needs to be done. We must grab Lucius and Harry and set out for the ministry with the wireless fellow."

-/-

Lucius was with Narcissa and Charlotte; and Narcissa was busy thanking Charlotte for having the presence of mind to save Draco by stunning her.

"I'm a mother too you know" said Charlotte quietly "And mother love is a magic that transcends all other magic…I may be a muggle but I know about that!"

"Do you love Lucius?" demanded Narcissa.

"Dearly" said Charlotte.

Narcissa pursed her lips in thought.

"I'm sure we can manage to share him amicably my dear" she said. "And now I am my own person I think it's time to discuss giving him some more babies, both of us, don't you?"

"I think it's an excellent idea" said Charlotte "Though I THINK I might have a start on you."

"We shall share our children as we share Lucius" said Narcissa firmly. "If you are pregnant we need to take care of you; nothing but the best care for a Malfoy baby you know!"

"Well" said Krait to Severus "Felix certainly worked to tell CHARLOTTE how to act. And our sharpshooters almost couldn't miss…. Now let's get that broadcast out before it wears off!"

-/-

Harry's manifesto was published in the _Daily Prophet_ as well as being broadcast with the news that Voldemort was dead and dead for good this time. He demanded that all the ministers be legilimensed to see who was acting under the imperius curse and indeed who was acting out of sheer evil; and demanded that the Ministry be no more than an advisory body in charge of its various departments but reporting to a true government made up partly of hereditary lords and partly of elected members, including those from goblin communities and other minority groups such as the muggle families of wizards and witches since, as he said scornfully, quoting Krait, any fool should realise that magical ability could pop up in any muggle family if the coincidence of heritance brought together inherited traits from generations back on both sides that was sufficiently strong to make for magical power. He suggested that the Department of Mysteries would do better to make simple heritance studies first before they tried those that were beyond their limited capabilities. He demanded that the old families who had proved themselves strong against Voldemort should be represented as the hereditary lords; and named Malfoy, Black, Prince, Weasley, Longbottom, Diggory, Bones and MacMillan. Lucius cleared his throat; and said that Harry had forgotten 'Potter' as a major family.

"PRINCE?" said Severus after the broadcast "Why the hell Prince?"

"Because I trust you to make good snide comments at government meetings" said Harry. "I didn't think you'd want to be named as yourself; but you could wear a mask you know, to cover the scars of battle; and that wouldn't even be a total untruth for you've got the scars from the burning."

"Hmmph…you always were a pestilential boy. When am I to find time to interfere in governance?"

Harry grinned.

"The time you have over from not having to plot against Fishface of course!" he said cheekily. "It's not like you can't apparate to London any time you need to. As it looks like I shall be lumbered with doing."

"Huh" said Severus.

"Will you do it? Please?"

"If you truly think it will help to form a good government then yes" said Severus "If it's only because I'm your favourite potions master…" and he gave his wry grin.

"I need you at my side to win the peace" said Harry. "You know, I had the resurrection stone in my hand; and I was half inclined to use it to bring my parents to support me. But they've moved on; and I had my kindred to support me – and the man who might have been my father if things had been a little different."

Severus' eyes were wet with tears and wordlessly he embraced Harry.

"You have three living fathers as well as James" he managed at last "Sirius, your Godfather; and Albus and me as your stepfathers."

"Albus I love as a family member" said Harry "Perhaps a grandfather; but you were THERE for me when he was busy protecting me from finding out all I needed to find out. Only your example made him tell us eventually what stories might be uncovered while he was officially dead. He will always be special to me; as will Hagrid. But my fathers are you and Padfoot, Scales, my Marauder fathers."

"Well! Your father says you need to get some rest now because you'll be inundated with work setting up this new government soon enough" said Severus brusquely.

Harry smiled.

He understood.

-/-

There were interviews with everybody; with Albus Dumbledore, returned from the dead, smiling gently at the stories about his past and murmuring that Madame Snape, posing as a Deatheater, had done a most excellent job of smearing his character, hadn't she and mentioning that his memories of Ariana were too painful to rake up just now, thank you. The restoration of Alice and Frank Longbottom too was a sensation; and they refused with gentle firmness to discuss the means of their cure. Krait intended to keep quiet about her status as a metamorphagus and they respected that wish!

Remus Lupin spoke up for those people who were werewolves through no fault of their own and demanded that the ministry should provide Wolfsbane potion free to those afflicted, and that there should be no discrimination towards werewolves who were prepared to live within the law.

Kinat, first goblin student at Hogwarts spoke up to ask that goblins should be permitted to carry wands and be treated with equality; and hinted that if goblins had fairer treatment, goblins might be prepared to teach some goblin metalcrafting secrets to senior classes at Hogwarts. He had no mandate at all to suggest this, but every intention of using his Blood Status and scar to get what he thought was right and fair on both sides.

Beloc and Dobby spoke out as free house elves, respectably employed, that free elves should also be admitted into the wand carrying community and that slavery should be phased out as antiquated and barbaric and something even muggles didn't practice any more [ which had a greater impact than any pleas for fairness] and that those house elves who did not want to be free should also be respected in their wishes [which soothed a lot of ruffled feathers].

Hagrid too was a voice for half breeds; and another of Harry's loyal friends who had watched over him from his earliest years with, as Alastor Moody put it 'constant vigilance!'

Dudley Dursley was even given a spot, as a muggle who was brave enough to fight beside his wizarding cousin against the most terrifying wizard ever. David had warned him to be circumspect in what he said and made a few suggestions; so Dudley said that even a muggle could use goblin-made devices and crossbows and help his magical friends. "Draco and Harry are the best friends I ever had" he said "An' I guess you gotta stand by your friends, right?"

Dudley would never be the sharpest stick in the bundle; but his sincerity was plain. And his limited intellect was actually an asset to the treatment of muggles, because those wizards who were wavering were able to faintly despise his limits whilst admiring his loyalty and look upon him – and by extension all muggles – as a kind of cute pet Harry Potter was kind enough to keep about the place.

It was a false view; but it did much for the cause.

-/-

There was singing in the streets and demonstrations of joy as profound as those that had dismayed Vernon Dursley almost sixteen years before; and indeed disturbed him once again. And his first words when Dudley walked into the sitting room were

"Where the Hell have you been?"

"Oh DIDDYKINS!" cried Petunia "Where have you been?"

"Fighting Voldemort" said Dudley, grinning fatuously all over his big face. "With Harry and Draco."

"WHAT?" thundered Vernon "You've been getting mixed up in THEIR lot?"

"Popkin!" cried Petunia "Surely not! With….you mustn't say his name, you mustn't!"

"Can now" said Dudley "He's dead. Harry stuck a sword in him and the rest of us killed his followers. It was…" his face softened "It was scary mum but it was great, all being together, fighting together… I think I might join the muggle army you know…."

Petunia cast herself upon him and hugged him, sobbing and berating him and begging him to take care. Dudley, once considering that only natural, found he had to endure it stoically, recalling the gentle teasing Ron and Ginny had received when their mum acted the same. Mums weren't that different really, he thought. Draco's mum had been all over her precious darling too.

Gently he lifted her aside.

"I'm fine mum" he said "I had this other kid called Martin who was casting protective spells so I could shoot people….they had magic crossbows and magic bullets" he added hastily as he realised the thought forming in his father's prejudiced mind. "Silver enchanted against werewolves…"

"ENOUGH!" shouted Vernon "I don't want to hear any more, d'you understand me? It's bad enough with that boy around, without him corrupting my son!"

Dudley opened his mouth but shut it again. He knew his father well enough to know when not to push the issue.

His mother mouthed 'tell me later'; she at least wanted to know just what her baby had been doing even if she deplored him doing it.

Dudley nodded.

"All right, I guess I've missed a couple of days' school, am I in trouble?"

"Oh no, Diddykins, mummy will write an excuse note and say you had a nasty cold" said Petunia fondly.

As she had done this often enough when Dudley just wanted a day off he had no expectation of it being believed; but on the other hand they could not disprove it.

And he felt so good, even if they gave him a detention he did not care.

And whatever his father said, Dudley was not going to lose touch with his friends at Hogwarts!

-/-

The rest of the term might almost have been considered anticlimactic; though there were still some deatheaters to round up, and ministers to legilimens. Krait too had her NEWTS to take; she was taking examinations in Potions, Transfigurations, Defence against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Arithmancy, Charms and Care of Magical Beasts, for which she was the only NEWT student. She found the exam in this quite easy, approaching and mounting and riding a hippogriff as the first part. She duly bowed to Buckbeak and mounted him, urging him to take off, circle, and return, landing in the precise spot they took off from which she knew would earn bonus marks. She answered questions on the care of various magical steeds, the main thrust of this advanced exam; and also answered questions on the recognition and characteristics of various types of dragons, reflecting that none of Harry's friends would ever forget anything about Hungarian Horntails. The written component of the exam was mostly about the means of avoiding damage to beast and self when handling dangerous beasts; and she thought she had done well.

As to Defence of the Dark Arts, the examiner summoned all those who had fought; and awarded everyone under fifteen an automatic OWL at E, and assorted older students higher marks. Krait, Draco, Harry, Ron and Hermione and Neville were given O at NEWT level, and E's were given to others such as Ernie MacMillan.

It seemed, as the examiner said, utterly ridiculous when all the would-be aurors had been part of the fight to waste their time and hers on theory when they had proved themselves more capable of fighting the Dark Arts than any of the ministry for the last twenty years.

Krait agreed; but was mightily pleased to hear it said aloud!

When the Potions examiner found out that Hermione, Draco and Krait had been involved in making Felix Felicis they were also awarded O out of hand.

As one of the questions on the Arithmancy paper was to write the equations of the most important arithmantic calculation the student had ever made, Krait wrote up the decision of the date for the battle, noting that she had cross referenced and worked with Miss Granger.

Hermione had also entered early in the hopes of taking more NEWTS – little realising when she applied that she would get two NEWTS for free – and had written it up and worried that it might not count; which Krait pooh-poohed.

"If that ain't significant I don't know what is" she said "I know we collaborated but we each took different angles; and that'll count. Several arithmancers work together for curse breaking you know, and wasn't he the worst curse on society there is?"

Hermione was pacified; no mean feat over examinations! She was elated to have gained two NEWTS already a year young 'for nothing' as she said.

"Not hardly nothing" said Draco "We worked bloody hard for what we had to do; getting recognition in terms of qualifications is just an extra in recognition, but not something we don't deserve."

Krait had then three more exams; Transfigurations, which caused her no trouble at all – indeed she found time to advance a new theory that occurred to her during the written examination, concerning the conservation of energy – and she felt she had not disgraced herself at Charms and Herbology. Since she had done hardly any formal work for either Herbology or Care of Magical beasts she was well pleased and hoped to get a pass at least.

Next year she would no longer be even a part time student; but she would be alongside her beloved Severus and helping out with junior classes and looking for teachers for a muggle and squib annexe. She had her eyes on the old orphanage for its facilities to house many children; but she wanted to ask the Hogwarts ghosts to have a riotous party there first to drive out the bad feelings! She had, too, to wait for probate on the death of her father – his body, transfigured to look as he had done to pose as a muggle – having to be found by the authorities; and his daughter, living with cousins – Wendy and Casimir – contacted. One might as well use what wealth he had built up, after all. Yes, she might have finished school but with all that, and her dear children, now safe at last, she had plenty of things with which to occupy herself!

The world was safe now for the muggles from the wizarding world; though the new muggle Prime Minister had the same smarmy charm as Tom Riddle so they might not be safe from him….but then, that was the muggles' problem for electing him.

Muggle politicians were as much a waste of space as wizarding ones; it must be a universal truth.

Like the ability to ignore inconvenient facts.

Charity Burbage was quite right.

Muggles and wizards were not really very different at all.

It was a shame that they had needed to contact Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to postpone the quidditch match but that was to look forward to next year instead.

**The End – of Tom Riddle. **

**A/N Book 4, 'A Different Kind of Diplomacy' coming soon. But I'm taking time out so look for more on Valentine's Day. I have some writing I want to get on with!**


End file.
